Air Canada and its pilots union have reached a tentative agreement, preventing a potential strike that would have disrupted air travel in Canada.
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| Air Canada pilots have secured a substantial wage increase and improved benefits in a new contract agreement with the airline. Image Courtesy: Air Canada |
Toronto, Canad - September 15, 2024:
A potential disruption to Canadian air travel has been averted as Air Canada and its pilots union reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract. The deal, announced early Sunday morning, came just days before a planned strike or lockout was set to begin.
The agreement marks the end of months of negotiations between the airline and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). The pilots had been seeking significant wage increases to narrow the pay gap with their counterparts at major U.S. carriers.
The tentative deal includes a 46% increase in value for pilots over the four-year term of the contract. This represents a substantial improvement over the previous agreement, which expired in September 2023.
The Canadian government had been closely monitoring the negotiations, but had indicated that it would not intervene unless the situation escalated to a point where it threatened the safety of the public.
This agreement is a relief for Canadian travelers who were facing the prospect of significant flight disruptions. The averted strike would have had a major impact on the country's economy, particularly during the peak travel season.