WestJet and its pilots reach 11th-hour deal to avoid strike: Union
Global News
The Air Line Pilots Association said members voted to approve an agreement-in-principle with WestJet, following more than nine months of negotiations on a new pilot contract.
Airline WestJet and its pilots have reached a last-minute deal, averting a strike ahead of the May long weekend, according to the union.
A news release from the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) late Thursday night said members voted to approve an agreement-in-principle with WestJet management, following more than nine months of negotiations on a new pilot contract.
The strike was set to begin early Friday morning, and already the airline had cancelled hundreds of flights in anticipation of its fleet being grounded. WestJet said on Thursday it was parking the majority of its 737 and 787 fleet in anticipation of the labour action.
A membership vote on the agreement will begin in the coming days, it said.
“After months of tough negotiations with management, we are pleased to announce an agreement-in-principle that goes a long way to recognizing the value and expertise we bring to our airline every day,” said Capt. Bernard Lewall, chair of the WestJet ALPA Master Executive Council (MEC).
The union said WestJet pilots have fallen behind their North American counterparts in recent years with regard to critical contract provisions, including job protections, career advancement, compensation, and scheduling flexibility.
The WestJet ALPA leaders said they believe the contract meets the goal of securing better job security, enhanced compensation, and more flexible schedules to allow for a better work/life balance.
“When I started at WestJet 18 years ago, it was seen as a career destination,” Lewall said in a statement.
