WestJet pilots vote in favour of strike mandate, could walk before May long weekend
BNN Bloomberg
The union representing WestJet pilots voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike mandate Tuesday, casting clouds of uncertainty over Canadians' travel plans.
The Air Line Pilots Association said its 1,600 WestJet pilots can launch a strike as early as May 16 — the Tuesday ahead of the May long weekend, which typically kicks off the summer travel season for thousands whose itineraries could now be upended.
The workers' issues revolve around job protection, pay and scheduling at the airline and its discount subsidiary Swoop, said Bernard Lewall, who heads the union's WestJet contingent.
"If you're trying to attract new pilots or retain the experienced ones that we have, there's got to be some definition of a career path for them. And because there's three different airlines under the umbrella of WestJet flying the same airplanes, all with different wages and working conditions, there really isn't that defined career path," he said in a phone interview from Calgary.
