WestJet pilots may go on strike in 1 week — what this could mean for passengers
Union will be in a position to strike as of May 16
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was updated May 9 to reflect comments from WestJet's CEO, Alexis Von Hoensbroech, at an informational picket held by the Air Line Pilots Association at the Calgary International Airport on May 8. WestJet did not initially agree to an interview for this story, first published on May 2, pointing to this statement instead.
With one week until a potential strike by WestJet pilots, both sides are still at the negotiating table.
About 1,850 WestJet pilots with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) are poised to strike as of May 16, with pay, job security and schedules among some of the main issues still to be resolved.
Both WestJet and the ALPA met in Calgary last week. Both sides are taking part in nine days of negotiations in Toronto from May 8 to 16, a WestJet spokesperson confirmed.
"We need the decision makers in the room, and they will be in the room [this] week, hopefully," said Capt. Bernard Lewall, the WestJet ALPA master executive council chair and a WestJet pilot, in an interview May 2.
Negotiations between WestJet pilots, including those with its discount subsidiary Swoop, and the union began in September. Last month, the pilots voted in favour of a strike mandate.
After the official end of federal conciliation on April 24, with no deal reached, a 21-day cooling-off period began. Once that period expires on May 16, pilots will be in a strike position.
That could mean job action, such as refusing to do overtime, or a full strike.
"Our goal though is to avoid a strike, but we need WestJet to recognize the value and the expertise that we, the pilots, bring to the company and our passengers every day," Lewall said.
WATCH | WestJet pilots picket outside the Calgary airport on May 8:
About 300 ALPA pilots showed up to an informational picket at the Calgary International Airport on May 8, which coincided with similar demonstrations in Vancouver and Toronto.
WestJet's CEO Alexis Von Hoensbroech spoke outside the airport, saying management is meeting with union representatives 24/7 in hopes of reaching a deal.
"We are 100 per cent committed to agreeing on a meaningful contract that will see meaningful improvement to the current contract before any labour action may take place," he said.
Ask from pilots
Right now, Lewall said the company is losing pilots every month, with most heading to other airlines. One of their goals through these negotiations is to retain experienced pilots and attract new ones, he said.
The union has been pushing what it calls a North American standard contract. Lewall says it would narrow the gap between WestJet wages and the wages of pilots at other airlines in Canada and the U.S.
On Monday, Von Hoensbroech said WestJet pilots are among the best paid in the country, adding the company isn't having problems with recruitment.
"The expectation that you can live in one country then cherry pick wages from another one is just not how the world works," he said. "We are ready to give them a meaningful improvement, but we are not ready to go anywhere close to U.S. wages."
John Gradek, faculty lecturer in aviation management at McGill University in Montreal, said ALPA, a U.S.-based union, has made gains for other U.S. carriers in recent months — such as Delta in March — and he suspects they're targeting similar increases for WestJet.
"The Canadian pay scale has always been different than the U.S. pay scales. So there never has been in the past any attempt to create and use a North American pay scale," he said.
"They're trying to create a model agreement, create a standard against which other agreements would in fact be negotiated much more efficiently, much more effectively."
WestJet traveller limbo
In Gradek's view, a strike by WestJet pilots would mean a temporary shutdown of the airline, as the jobs are very technical and difficult to replace.
But Von Hoensbroech says contingency plans are in place, and the airline will protect as many flights as possible if job action occurs. Still, disturbances would be expected.
Currently, the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) lists strikes as situations generally outside the airline's control.
Sylvie De Bellefeuille, a lawyer with Option Consommateurs, a not-for-profit organization promoting consumer rights, says in the case of cancellations, the airline is still obligated to complete a passenger's itinerary.
That means rebooking their flight as soon as possible, which may mean using another carrier they have an agreement with.
"If not possible within the period of 48 hours, then passengers are entitled to ask for reimbursement if they don't want to travel anymore," she said.
Vouchers may also be offered, but De Bellefeuille says it's up to the consumer whether they want to accept that option. Some passengers may also argue a strike is within the airline's control, filing a complaint to the CTA in order to receive extra compensation, she said.
Travellers may also want to check the fine print of any insurance packages they've purchased, or company or credit card insurance, to see if they are eligible for compensation for things like accommodations or car rentals gone unused because of a cancelled flight.
Gradek and De Bellefeuille said travellers should keep the possibility of job action in mind when booking any new tickets, for now.
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