(Toronto) WestJet pilots and their employer continue discussions as the union warns a walkout could occur as early as Tuesday.
The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents some 1,600 crew members at WestJet and its subsidiary Swoop, says it is set to file a 72-hour strike notice just after midnight.
Bernard Lewall, who heads the union’s WestJet contingent, says the issues reported by workers revolve around job protection, pay and hours. Some 340 WestJet pilots have left the carrier over the past year and a half – mostly for other airlines.
The airline says there have been three times as many pilot hires as quits in WestJet line operations.
The Calgary-based company says its pilots are among the highest paid in Canada, but believes a contract comparable to those recently won by some US pilot groups would be financially unfeasible and jeopardize the company’s future.
Labor shortages continue to plague the aviation industry, particularly in areas ranging from air traffic control to ground handling, as the sector experiences a recovery after being particularly hard hit by the pandemic and having experienced several problems with the operation of its activities in the past year.