Air Canada announced on Sunday that it had reached an agreement with its pilots, thus avoiding a strike that would have grounded most of its planes. The agreement was made public just minutes after a key deadline expired that would have resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of flights in the coming days. The group announced in a statement that it had reached an agreement in principle on “a provisional four-year collective agreement” with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents more than 5,200 Air Canada pilots and with which it has been negotiating for 15 months.
On Thursday, groups representing more than 200,000 businesses across Canada called on the government to intervene to prevent a strike that they say could have an impact on the economy.
Closing the pay gap with American pilots
The agreement “recognizes contributions and professionalism,” Air Canada said Sunday, without elaborating on the precise terms of the agreement. As the airline’s pilots sought to close the pay gap with their American counterparts, the union clarified that this “preliminary agreement will soon be subject to ratification by the membership.”
“It has been an exceptionally long road to reach this agreement,” said First Officer Charlene Huy, president of Air Canada ALPA’s Senior Executive Council (SES), hailing the pilots’ “steady mobilization and united determination.” In addition to compensation, she also reported progress on retirement and employment standards. Air Canada serves 47 countries and carries an average of 110,000 passengers a day on its 670 flights.
Source: BFM TV
