Air Transat pilots vote overwhelmingly for strike mandate

Pilots working for Air Transat have voted overwhelmingly to give their union a strike mandate, the union said in a statement.

The Air Line Pilots Association, which represents more than 700 Air Transat pilots, opened voting last month for those pilots to decide whether to grant it a strike mandate.

On Wednesday, 99 per cent of unionized pilots at Air Transat voted to give the union that mandate.

“The results are in, and they are nothing short of decisive: out of the 98% of eligible pilots who voted, an extraordinary 99% of pilots voted YES to strike, if necessary,” the Air Line Pilots Association said in a statement.

“This overwhelming vote sends a clear message to management: our pilot group is unified, determined, and prepared for job action if the company does not provide us with a modern contract,” the statement added.

The move would put pilots into a position to strike as soon as next week — right before the busy holiday travel season.

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Air Transat said they’ve taken note of the strike mandate, but also said, “At this time, our operations are running normally.”

“The goal remains to negotiate a collective agreement that satisfies both parties, reflects market realities and those of the company, and recognizes the contribution of our pilots. We are confident that we will reach an agreement and thereby avoid any impact on our customers’ travel plans,” an Air Transat spokesperson told Global News, adding that this does not mean a strike will be initiated.

Air Transat pilots started a “strike centre” in Montreal, along with picketing in Montreal and Toronto, last month.

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The previous collective bargaining agreement, which had been in place for a decade, expired in April this year. The union says wages at the airline have suffered due to the lack of a new collective agreement.

The current contract “lags significantly behind industry standards in Canada and North America,” the union said.

Negotiations between the airline and the union began in January, with both parties entering conciliation in September. An agreement was not reached by the Nov. 18 deadline, which kicked off a 21-day cooling off period that is set to end on Dec. 10.

“We demand a modern contract, and we hope that management recognizes our resolve and comes back to the table ready to bargain in earnest,” said Bradley Small, chair of the Air Transat ALPA master executive council.

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