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WestJet pilots vote to strike
WestJet’s arrival at Canadian Rockies International Airport may be delayed a bit longer.
The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) reported May 10 that its WestJet pilot members have voted 91% (out of 2,000 members) in favour of strike action.
Pilots will be in a position to strike on May 19 but have agreed to wait until the Victoria Day long weekend has passed.
With eight days left in the 21-day cooling-off period, WestJet pilots seek a fair contract that addresses the large gaps in proposals on total compensation, working conditions, and job security.
“The goal is—and always has been—to secure a fair collective agreement that brings stability to the airline, and not to strike,” said Capt. Rob McFadyen, chair of WestJet’s ALPA Master Executive Council. “The strong results of our strike vote and the excellent turnout at our informational picketing event earlier this week should provide management the added incentive it needs to bring serious proposals to the bargaining table that address our concerns.”
Negotiators will now head to Halifax to continue negotiations starting next week and are committed to staying there for as long as it takes to get a deal done.
“It’s clear WestJet pilots are ready to stand up for the fair contract we deserve—one that puts us in line with our peers across the industry,” continued Capt. McFadyen. “Our pilots have built this airline, and now it is time for our efforts to be properly recognized in terms of industry-standard compensation and working conditions, and real job security that prevents management from outsourcing our jobs.”
WestJet pilots hope to avoid taking any lawful job action. ALPA will keep the public informed of any developments toward reaching a contract up until the strike deadline. Learn more about the WestJet pilots’ journey for their first contract at www.alpa.org/wja.
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 60,000 pilots at 34 airlines in the United States and Canada, including the approximately 1,500 WestJet pilots and approximately 500 WestJet Encore pilots as well as pilots at Air Georgian, Air Transat, Bearskin, Calm Air, Canadian North, First Air, Jazz Aviation, Kelowna Flightcraft, and Wasaya.
Headquartered in Calgary, WestJet is Canada’s second-largest airline with more than 1,500 pilots and hubs in Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto. WestJet pilots operate an average of 425 flights per day with service to 100 destinations in Canada, the United States, Europe, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
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