Summary
- A strike at Air Canada is on the cards as the airline and the union have failed to reach an agreement.
- As a result, the Canadian carrier’s pilots had filed a notice of dispute and equest for conciliation assistance with the Canadian Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
- Air Canada’s pilots claimed that their pay is still below pre-9/11 levels.
Air Canada pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), filed a contract dispute with the Canadian Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, with the two sides failing to come to an agreement since they began negotiations in June 2023.
Potentially leading to a strike
In a statement, ALPA explained that after it had filed a notice of dispute and request for conciliation assistance with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Canadian Minister of Labor, Seamus O’Regan, has 15 days to appoint a conciliation officer.
Photo: Minh K Tran | Shutterstock
Subsequently, the appointed official will work with ALPA and Air Canada for 60 days to reach an agreement. However, if the pilots and the carrier fail to reach an agreement and do not agree to an extension, a 21-day cooling-off period would begin before the two sides can begin a self-help process.
The pilot union warned that if there is no agreement reached by the end of the cooling period, this would give a path for ALPA to initiate a strike vote, which could come in the middle of the peak season for Air Canada.
Related
Air Canada Focused On Strong Demand Despite $59m Losses in 1st Quarter
Air Canada, despite finishing the quarter with a net loss, was happy with its Q1 results, which should allow the airline to achieve its 2024 targets.
Lifting each other up
During Air Canada’s Annual General Meeting in March, Michael Rousseau, the President and chief executive officer (CEO) of Air Canada, outlined four priorities for the airline. In addition to cost control and revenue generation, expanding its network, and improving its passenger experience, Rousseau stated that Air Canada’s employees must lift each other up.
Photo: WestOka | Shutterstock
The CEO’s statement read that in 2023, Air Canada hired more than 8,000 new employees, and by Q4 2023, the airline had 9% more full-time employees than in 2019, which has strengthened the carrier’s operational resilience.
“We also work hard to develop our culture and foster unity of purpose. As part of this, we held 32 employee town halls across Canada in 2023 to give employees insight and gather their feedback on our vision, plans, and goals as we continue to rise higher.”
However, Charlene Hudy, the chair of Air Canada’s ALPA Master Executive Council (MEC), bluntly stated that the airline has continued to undervalue its pilots’ contribution to the success of the airline. Hudy noted that the two sides remain far apart in reaching a labor agreement.
Related
Air Canada Will Begin 4 New Long-Haul Routes In 1 Week
They include the carrier’s new least-served long-haul operation.
Pay below pre-9/11 levels
Hudy pointed out that Air Canada’s proposed pay package still falls short of those that pilots at American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines receive, with the Canadian airline failing to correct the pay sacrifices that its pilots have made to contribute to the survival of Air Canada.
“Air Canada is the only legacy air carrier in North America that hasn’t returned their pilot pay to pre-9/11 levels.”
Photo: Rene Dominguez | Shutterstock
Hudy concluded that while the airline’s pilots remain committed to the airline and its passengers, the union will do everything in its power to amend the current pay situation at the carrier. The Chair of Air Canada’s MEC added that the airline’s pilots are paid around half of what flight crews earn at legacy carriers in the United States.
Related
Which Country Has The Highest Paid Pilots?
European and North American pilots earn some of the highest salaries.