WestJet Encore pilot leaders from the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) have voted to approve an agreement in principle with management following seven months of negotiations. Discussions are ongoing as WestJet Encore ALPA and its management finalize contract language for a full tentative agreement for membership ratification. “After several consecutive days of late-stage negotiating, progress was made on a number of key issues, including compensation and scheduling,” said WestJet Encore ALPA Master Executive Council Chair Capt. Carin Kenny in a Monday press release. “We are pleased to announce an agreement in principle that goes a long way toward bringing the WestJet Encore pilots in line with our regional flying counterparts across Canada.”While representatives on the two sides have reached a temporary agreement on most of the terms and conditions, ALPA said contract language is being finalized. It said flight disruptions are never an ideal outcome for pilots or their passengers, so that is why their goal has been to reach an agreement and not go on strike. Until a tentative agreement is reached, it vowed to continue to make negotiators available. Throughout the negotiating process, Kenny said management’s refusal to grasp the current market conditions in Canada’s aviation sector “resulted in a mass exodus of pilots in search of better work opportunities.”“It is significant that management now recognizes a contract without the required economic and scheduling improvements would result in a continuation of the current pilot attraction and retention crisis at the airline,” said Kenny. WestJet confirmed it had reached an agreement in principle during the second collective bargaining round between it and ALPA. “WestJet Encore is pleased to have reached an agreement-in-principle that recognizes the immense value and contributions of our WestJet Encore pilots, who provide critical regional connectivity for Canadians,” said WestJet Airlines President Diederik Pen. “We are pleased to have reached this milestone, enabling us to move forward with an unwavering focus on providing safe, friendly and reliable air service to our guests for years to come.”WestJet and ALPA arrived at an agreement in principle to avoid a strike in May. READ MORE: WestJet pilot strike averted at last minuteThe two sides confirmed a tentative agreement on the second round of collective bargaining between them. “Following eight months of negotiations, we are pleased to announce that the pilots have reached an Agreement in Principle with WestJet on our second agreement,” said ALPA.
WestJet Encore pilot leaders from the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) have voted to approve an agreement in principle with management following seven months of negotiations. Discussions are ongoing as WestJet Encore ALPA and its management finalize contract language for a full tentative agreement for membership ratification. “After several consecutive days of late-stage negotiating, progress was made on a number of key issues, including compensation and scheduling,” said WestJet Encore ALPA Master Executive Council Chair Capt. Carin Kenny in a Monday press release. “We are pleased to announce an agreement in principle that goes a long way toward bringing the WestJet Encore pilots in line with our regional flying counterparts across Canada.”While representatives on the two sides have reached a temporary agreement on most of the terms and conditions, ALPA said contract language is being finalized. It said flight disruptions are never an ideal outcome for pilots or their passengers, so that is why their goal has been to reach an agreement and not go on strike. Until a tentative agreement is reached, it vowed to continue to make negotiators available. Throughout the negotiating process, Kenny said management’s refusal to grasp the current market conditions in Canada’s aviation sector “resulted in a mass exodus of pilots in search of better work opportunities.”“It is significant that management now recognizes a contract without the required economic and scheduling improvements would result in a continuation of the current pilot attraction and retention crisis at the airline,” said Kenny. WestJet confirmed it had reached an agreement in principle during the second collective bargaining round between it and ALPA. “WestJet Encore is pleased to have reached an agreement-in-principle that recognizes the immense value and contributions of our WestJet Encore pilots, who provide critical regional connectivity for Canadians,” said WestJet Airlines President Diederik Pen. “We are pleased to have reached this milestone, enabling us to move forward with an unwavering focus on providing safe, friendly and reliable air service to our guests for years to come.”WestJet and ALPA arrived at an agreement in principle to avoid a strike in May. READ MORE: WestJet pilot strike averted at last minuteThe two sides confirmed a tentative agreement on the second round of collective bargaining between them. “Following eight months of negotiations, we are pleased to announce that the pilots have reached an Agreement in Principle with WestJet on our second agreement,” said ALPA.
