Air Canada is finalizing the “final details” of the reduction plan it will implement if negotiations with its pilots do not reach a conclusion by the end of the week and a work stoppage is triggered.
Starting Sunday, the employer and the union will have the opportunity to file a 72-hour notice of strike or lockout, which would result in a work stoppage starting mid-next week.
In this context, the carrier announced on Monday that it was finalizing the final details of its plan to reduce activities, which could be gradually implemented as soon as a notice of strike or lockout is filed, potentially on Sunday.
Not very optimistic
In a press release, the Montreal company seemed less optimistic about reaching a quick agreement with the International Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), maintaining that the two parties remain “very far apart.”
Air Canada President and CEO Michael Rousseau said that to avoid an impasse, ALPA will have to moderate its wage demands. He said the union’s demands “far exceed the average wage increase in Canada.”
The 5,400 Air Canada pilots who are members of ALPA have adopted a strike mandate that has been supported by 98% of the union members.
Negotiations over the renewal of the collective agreement have been ongoing since June 2023. The pilots are demanding better wages, better retirement benefits and improvements to their quality of life.
Air Canada has already announced that customers who have a flight scheduled between September 15 and 23 can make changes to their bookings free of charge, if they wish, or receive a credit for future travel. This policy will be expanded as needed, it was announced.
The company has also made arrangements with other carriers to offer seats to its customers if its own flights are cancelled, but has warned that the number of seats available with other carriers may be lower than demand.