It looks like trouble could be on the horizon for a major Canadian airline after a majority of pilots voted in favour of a strike later this month.
WestJet Encore is a subsidiary of WestJet that offers flights within Canada between major cities and small towns. On Tuesday, 89% of its pilots took part in a strike-authorization vote, and 97% of those pilots voted in favour of a strike.
The pilots are looking to negotiate with WestJet management over a contract that will “bring stability to their careers and the airline,” according to a press release from the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA).
The release also stated that WestJet Encore pilots are some of the lowest-paid regional pilots in Canada.
“Without drastic improvement on our next contract, there will be little stopping WestJet Encore pilots from continuing to seek better employment opportunities elsewhere. That’s why we are looking for an industry-standard contract comparable to some of our regional colleagues across Canada,” says Capt. Kenny, chair of the WestJet Encore ALPA Master Executive Council.
“We are here to fight for a contract that will once again make working within the WestJet Group a career goal. Unfortunately, despite management’s platitudes, our proposals continue to fall on deaf ears.”
The union says flight disruptions for both pilots and passengers are “never ideal” and is committed to pursuing a successful negotiation. If those efforts fail, however, WestJet Encore pilots are prepared to file a 72-hour strike notice on April 14, with the possibility of being in a legal strike position on April 17.