Air Canada pilots vote for strike, could hit picket lines in September

Air Canada pilots have voted overwhelmingly in favor of striking if an agreement with the airline isn't reached, a move that could potentially ground flights and disrupt travel plans for Canadians nationwide.

The results, announced on Thursday, revealed that 98 percent of Air Canada pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), participated in the vote, with 98 percent of those voting in favor of a strike.

Currently, pilots and the airline are in the midst of a 60-day federal conciliation period. Once this period concludes on August 26, a 21-day cooling-off period will begin. After this, pilots would be legally able to strike in mid-September.

Global News has reached out to Air Canada for a comment regarding the strike vote.

Charlene Hudy, chair of the Air Canada ALPA Master Executive Council, emphasized in a statement on Thursday that while the union aims to avoid a strike, the vote clearly signals to management that pilots are prepared to take action to secure a modernized contract.

“Air Canada pilots are committed to avoiding a strike and the flight disruptions that would follow, which is why we continue to negotiate in good faith,” Hudy stated. “Air Canada management has the power—and the resources—to prevent a strike, avoid flight disruptions, and protect its brand. All they need to do is acknowledge the value of their employees.”

The pilots are seeking higher pay and improvements in their overall working conditions in the new contract.

Last week, Hudy told Global News that despite progress in negotiations between January and June, discussions with Air Canada had reached an “impasse” on some critical issues.

The airline, however, maintained that negotiations are still ongoing.

“We have already reached agreements on several points and are actively working to resolve the remaining issues, aiming to finalize a deal in the coming weeks,” an Air Canada spokesperson told Global News last week.

The spokesperson added that since no action could be taken by either side until mid-September, it would be “business as usual” until then, with Air Canada continuing to operate normally.

The Air Canada negotiations follow a strike at another major Canadian airline, WestJet, where the mechanics’ union went on strike during the Canada Day weekend in July, affecting the travel plans of over 100,000 people.

Barry Prentice, director of the transport institute at the University of Manitoba’s Asper School of Business, said that in the case of Air Canada, he expects the airline to meet the union's demands.

“For the airline to shut down and operate without pilots is not a viable option. They may just have to concede and agree to the terms,” Prentice said.

He noted that pilots often engage in more negotiations compared to other airline employees when it comes to collective bargaining agreements.

“If we look at the trend in the U.S., wage settlements have been quite significant,” he said, adding that the ongoing pilot shortage in Canada is likely to further strengthen the pilots' negotiating position.

“They have a lot of leverage. Will it ultimately lead to a strike? It’s hard to say.”