WestJet and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) have arrived at an agreement in principle to avoid a strike..The announcement came just after 12 a.m. MDT on Friday, with both sides confirming a tentative agreement on the second collective bargaining agreement between the organizations..In a tweet early Friday morning, ALPA said, “Following 8 months of negotiations, we are pleased to announce that the pilots have reached an Agreement in Principle (AIP) with WestJet on our second agreement. There will be NO labour action. We sincerely thank you for your support.”.In the lead-up to the agreement, WestJet had cancelled hundreds of flights, affecting dozens of flights in Canada, the US and overseas. Services provided by WestJet Encore and WestJet-owned Sunwing Airlines were unaffected..In a statement released early Friday morning, WestJet said it was working to get operations back to normal as quickly as possible, adding a resumption of full services would take time..“Guests remain encouraged to continue to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport,” the airline said in its statement..The agreement has yet to be ratified by the pilots, with a vote scheduled to begin within a few days, according to WestJet and ALPA..“After months of tough negotiations with management, we are pleased to announce an agreement-in-principle that goes a long way to recognizing the value and expertise we bring to our airline every day,” said Capt. Bernard Lewall, chair of the WestJet ALPA Master Executive Council..The union argued that WestJet pilots were not keeping up with pilots with other airlines concerning contract provisions, particularly job protections, career advancement, compensation, and scheduling flexibility..Both sides agree that the new contract provides better job security, enhanced compensation, and more flexible schedules for a better work/life balance..“If ratified, the pilots will send a strong message that they remain committed to being a major contributor to WestJet’s success and help the company recognize its growth strategy,” the union said..“We appreciate we were able to arrive at a deal. However, recognize the impact on our guests and we sincerely appreciate their patience during this time,” WestJet Group CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said in a statement.
WestJet and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) have arrived at an agreement in principle to avoid a strike..The announcement came just after 12 a.m. MDT on Friday, with both sides confirming a tentative agreement on the second collective bargaining agreement between the organizations..In a tweet early Friday morning, ALPA said, “Following 8 months of negotiations, we are pleased to announce that the pilots have reached an Agreement in Principle (AIP) with WestJet on our second agreement. There will be NO labour action. We sincerely thank you for your support.”.In the lead-up to the agreement, WestJet had cancelled hundreds of flights, affecting dozens of flights in Canada, the US and overseas. Services provided by WestJet Encore and WestJet-owned Sunwing Airlines were unaffected..In a statement released early Friday morning, WestJet said it was working to get operations back to normal as quickly as possible, adding a resumption of full services would take time..“Guests remain encouraged to continue to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport,” the airline said in its statement..The agreement has yet to be ratified by the pilots, with a vote scheduled to begin within a few days, according to WestJet and ALPA..“After months of tough negotiations with management, we are pleased to announce an agreement-in-principle that goes a long way to recognizing the value and expertise we bring to our airline every day,” said Capt. Bernard Lewall, chair of the WestJet ALPA Master Executive Council..The union argued that WestJet pilots were not keeping up with pilots with other airlines concerning contract provisions, particularly job protections, career advancement, compensation, and scheduling flexibility..Both sides agree that the new contract provides better job security, enhanced compensation, and more flexible schedules for a better work/life balance..“If ratified, the pilots will send a strong message that they remain committed to being a major contributor to WestJet’s success and help the company recognize its growth strategy,” the union said..“We appreciate we were able to arrive at a deal. However, recognize the impact on our guests and we sincerely appreciate their patience during this time,” WestJet Group CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said in a statement.
