The federal government on Thursday directed the airline and plane mechanics into binding arbitration to resolve their dispute, a move all but certain to avoid a work stoppage that could otherwise have disrupted flights for hundreds of thousands of travellers over the Canada Day long weekend.
“They set a strong foundation to build upon at the bargaining table and bring the parties one step closer to a strong second agreement and an even stronger third agreement – reached at the bargaining table. That’s what we want to see here.” Union members voted overwhelmingly to reject a tentative deal earlier this month and opposed WestJet’s request for intervention by the country’s labour tribunal.
The Calgary-based carrier had already begun to cancel flights this week, calling off roughly 25 trips on Thursday and Friday in anticipation of possible job action as early as 5:30 p.m. MDT on Friday. Affecting some 3,300 customers, WestJet’s decision to start concentrating its 180-plane fleet sought to avoid leaving aircraft in far-flung locations and stranding passengers and crew in the event of a work stoppage.
On Wednesday, the airline asked the tribunal to quash the latest strike order and bar future ones – except on approval from the labour board. The affidavit from lawyer Simon Mortimer argued that the union was “moving backward” in the talks, pointing to one counter-offer from workers that called for “a 50 per cent cost increase” over the tentative agreement.
Agreement Union Strike Tribunal Airline Statement Bargaining Pearson Toronto Westjet
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