Contract Negotiations Stall At The Bargaining Table

The Air Line Pilots Association International (ALPA), representing pilots of Air Transat, announced plans Monday to file for conciliation with Canada’s Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) as efforts to negotiate a collective agreement with their employer, Air Transat, a division of the parent company, Transat AT, have stalled.

“We are disappointed with the Company's proposals and the absence of commitment to job security,” said Capt. Sylvain Aubin, Chairman of the Air Transat unit of ALPA. “After months at the bargaining table negotiations have stalled.”

The appointment of a conciliator by the Minister of Labour sets in motion a series of deadlines for negotiators on both sides. At the end of the conciliation period, negotiators will have had approximately 60 days to reach an agreement, followed by a 21-day cooling off period. Failing agreement at this point, the option of a strike or lockout becomes available to both ALPA and Air Transat.

Air Transat pilots are backed by a $1 million grant from ALPA’s Major Contingency Fund (MCF) which provides pilots with the necessary resources to respond to threats to their jobs and to the piloting profession. “The pilots of Air Transat stand solidly behind their highly experienced negotiating team,” said Aubin. “Working together puts us in the strongest possible position to achieve the outcome we all seek: a viable, profitable, and sustainable airline.”

FMI: www.alpa.org