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Members of the Air Line Pilots Association talk at the Air Transat Pilot Strike Centre in Montreal on Wednesday.Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press
Air Transat TRZ-T pilots have overwhelmingly voted to strike if contract talks between the Air Line Pilots Association and the company fail.
Either side can issue a 72-hour notice of a strike or lockout on Dec. 10, ahead of the key holiday travel season.
The strike mandate was supported by 99 per cent of the ballots cast, the union said on Wednesday. The union, representing more than 700 pilots, and the Montreal-based company have been in talks for a new collective agreement since January.
Bradley Small, a pilot and union executive, said pilots are tired of working under an agreement signed 10 years ago. “This vote sends an undeniable message to Air Transat management: We are unified, resolute, and have earned a contract that reflects today’s industry standards, not the standards from 2015,” Mr. Small said.
The pilots are seeking better pay, working conditions and job security.
“We do not want to strike,” Mr. Small said. “Our goal remains to reach an equitable agreement at the negotiating table. However, after nearly a year of slow bargaining and little progress, we urge management to utilize the remaining time and negotiate seriously to avoid operational and flight disruptions.”
