Chris Helgren/Reuters
Striking aircraft mechanics and technical staff represented by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Order union stand on a picket line against WestJet Airlines at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, June 29, 2024.
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CNN
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Labor negotiations between Canada's second-largest airline, WestJet, and the Association of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers remain at a standstill after unions called a surprise strike last week, forcing the cancellation or delay of more than 400 flights over the weekend.
The union, which represents about 700 aircraft engineers and technicians, went on strike on Friday after its first round of collective bargaining negotiations with the airline collapsed due to WestJet's “refusal to negotiate.”
The strike comes after multiple rounds of talks between the union and the airline since representatives first met for a bargaining session in September 2023. At the meeting, union representatives raised concerns including “temporary layoffs, irregular pay structures and work privileges eliminated without notice or reason,” according to a memo from the association. In addition to wage increases, the union is seeking protections for certain job categories and improved benefits such as health care.
On Sunday, the union told CNN that the “first-year economic disparity between the parties is approximately 7 percent, or less than $8 million.”
WestJet has repeatedly condemned the strike, which took place over Canada's long holiday weekend. The company said the strike would affect the plans of about 250,000 travellers. In a statement on Friday, WestJet said it had called for “immediate intervention by the Minister of Labour and the Canada Industrial Relations Board.”
The airline said it was forced to cancel more than 410 flights between Thursday and Saturday. WestJet canceled at least 343 flights on Sunday, representing 77% of its fleet, according to data from flight-tracking service FlightAware. The airline's regional subsidiary, WestJet Encore, canceled at least 80 flights.
Airports across Canada are also facing major outages, with Calgary International Airport cancelling 42 per cent of departing flights and 40 per cent of arriving flights, while Toronto Pearson, Vancouver and Edmonton international airports are also affected.
But in an update to union members shared by CNN on Sunday, the Labor Relations Board announced that it had determined the strike was lawful and that the board was continuing to mediate negotiations.
“The compulsory arbitration imposed by the Minister of Labour will be fast-tracked, but the CIRB has determined that we have the right to continue our lawful strike until that process is completed,” the union said.
The Labor Relations Board did not respond to CNN's request for comment.
The union told CNN it made its final offer to the airline on Thursday, but WestJet has not responded since then or given any indication of future negotiation dates.
The union also detailed how it had engaged in a drawn-out and unproductive mediation process over the weekend.
“At 1 a.m. ET on Saturday, June 29, after hours of waiting in virtual breakout rooms, the mediators returned and informed us that WestJet leadership had decided 'this is it,'” the union said in an update.
The parties and the federal mediator are expected to continue talks through Sunday.
