August 30, 2024-TORONTO—On Tuesday, more than 2,000 Air Canada pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), stood together across the country in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and Winnipeg to mark the end of their federal conciliation period . The pilots have yet to reach a deal on a new collective agreement with Air Canada management. As of now, there are no planned meetings between the negotiating parties. At the conclusion of the 21-day cooling-off period, the pilots will have the legal right to strike after issuing a 72-hour strike notice.
Pilots from Air Canada and other airlines showed their strength, unity, and resolve as they continued to ask Air Canada to show the pilots their value in the form of a contract that brought them in line with their industry counterparts.
“It is nearly a year since our stale and outdated contract expired,” said First Officer Charlene Hudy, Air Canada ALPA Master Executive Council (MEC) chair, during the event. “We want to reach an agreement with Air Canada to avert a strike, and although we made some progress in conciliation, management continues to force us closer to a strike position by not listening to our most pressing needs at the negotiating table regarding fair compensation, respectable retirement benefits, and quality-of-life improvements.”
Last week, Air Canada pilots voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike-authorization ballot. With 98 percent of members participating, 98 percent of voters elected to authorize union leaders to call a strike, if necessary, to achieve a new collective agreement with Air Canada.
“Flight disruptions are never an ideal outcome for our passengers or any pilot; that’s why our primary goal is to reach an agreement and not go on strike,” said Hudy. “However, we are still not seeing the significant movement that we need to see from Air Canada, especially now that time is of the essence, and we are ready to go on strike if necessary.”
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world, representing more than 78,000 pilots at 41 US and Canadian airlines. Visit alpa.org
