Air Canada and its pilots’ union reached a last-minute deal Saturday night that averted a strike at Canada’s largest airline.
The pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), are expected to issue a 72-hour strike notice on Sunday, which could Airline landed as early as September 18. Air Canada was preparing to cancel flights on Sunday as it halts operations on its mainline and Air Canada Rouge routes.
The four-year interim agreement between Air Canada and ALPA includes about C$1.9 billion ($1.4 billion) in wage increases, improved work regulations and retirement benefits for pilots over the life of the agreement, according to the union.
“After weeks of intense, round-the-clock negotiations, progress has been made on a number of key issues including compensation, retirement and work regulations,” Charlene Hudy, chair of the main executive committee at ALPA’s Air Canada division, said in a statement. “This agreement, if ratified by the pilot group, will formally end our outdated and outdated ten-year framework.”
Air Canada said in a statement that the pact “recognizes the contributions and professionalism” of its pilots, while also providing “a framework for the airline’s future growth.”
The deal must be approved by a vote of Air Canada’s more than 5,400 pilots and the airline’s board of directors.
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On Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would do not block an attack by Air Canada pilots.
“Every time there is a strike, people say, ‘Oh, you’ll get the government to come in and fix it’ — we’re not going to do that,” Reuters reported him as saying. “We believe in collective bargaining and we’re going to continue to push people to do that.”
A strike at Air Canada will affect passengers far beyond Canada’s borders. The airline and United Airlines Partner scheduled to fly nearly 57% of all seats between the United States and Canada in September, according to Cirium Diio schedules. And many American travelers connect through Air Canada’s Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver hubs on longer trips to Asia or Europe.
Air Canada says it will allow passengers who changed their travel plans to avoid the strike to return to their original itinerary free of charge if there is space available.
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