Potential three day pilot strike looms over Air Canada
Air Canada could be the latest carrier to be impacted by strike action, with three days of disruption from 18 September on the cards, as the airline continues its negotiations with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).
On 22 August, the union (representing Air Canada’s more than 5,200 pilots) announced that its Air Canada pilots had voted “overwhelmingly in favour to authorise union leaders to call a strike,” with over 98% voting “in favour of job action, if necessary, to achieve a new contractual agreement with Air Canada”.
Negotiations for a new agreement (comprising pay and quality-of-life disputes) commenced in June 2023, with private mediation talks ongoing between January and June 2024. ALPA decided to end this voluntary mediation process on 1 June, with both parties continuing to meet with federal conciliators from June to August – during which “further progress” was made, notes the airline.
However, with the 60-day conciliation period expiring without an agreement being reached, a 21 day ‘cooling-off’ period was initiated; meaning that if no decision has been made by 13 September, “Air Canada will need to start some wind-down activities, including the cancellation of some holiday packages and the grounding of some aircraft”. A strike or lock-out could subsequently start as soon as 18 September.
“The three-week cooling-off period gives the parties more than sufficient time to address any outstanding issues,” explained Air Canada, which adds that it remains “fully committed to bargaining meaningfully throughout the period”. However, as a precaution, it has introduced a ‘goodwill rebooking policy’ for flights immediately preceding and after the cooling-off period, allowing customers to amend their travel plans at no extra cost.
ALPA also explains that it continues to “negotiate in good faith,” although warns that “after more than a year of negotiations, management must now come to the realisation that if they fail to reach an agreement, they will be responsible for [ALPA Air Canada pilots] withdrawing [their] services”.
Financial provision has also been made for pilots affected by a potential strike, with ALPA adding: “Air Canada pilots are prepared for any outcome, thanks in large part to a $5 million (USD) grant from their union’s war chest, which was unanimously authorized by ALPA’s Executive Board to support contact negotiations in this final stage.”
