No Strikes, Lock-Outs Until June 1 At the Earliest

Aviators for Air Canada have made some headway in their contract talks according to negotiators, increasing the possibility they could tighten up their compensation with American peers.

Air Canada pays its pilots a much lower wage relative to similar carriers stateside, with some saying Delta pilots make about 45% more in hourly pay. That's a tough pill to swallow month after month, particularly with a stream of constant contract wins down south. In order to get the ball rolling, the Air Line Pilots Association, representing Air Canada pilots, tapped private-independent mediation to help bridge the divide with management.

The carrier made an agreement with negotiating pilots in January that locks in mediation until June 1st, as well as stays their hands from beginning strike or lock-out processes.

"We found that using this professional mediator in this private mediation agreement is starting to get the ball rolling. Right now, we're committed to negotiating at the table,” said Charlene Hudy, head of the local Air Canada union. "If we get to that point where there is an actual impasse at the table, then we would look at exercising our rights."

She conveyed the fact that 'about 500' pilots at the carrier are considering a move to the USA in order to procure higher pay, should the negotiations fail to yield a QoL improvement.

FMI: www.aircanada.com