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The union representing Air Transat pilots said Wednesday that its members voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike.
While the results give the pilots union’s governing body the authority to call a strike as early as Dec. 10, it is not in itself an immediate strike notice, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) said in a news release.
Negotiations between ALPA and the airline began in January. A union representative said that a collective agreement is being sought that protects job security and improves “working conditions, remuneration and quality of life.”
The two parties abandoned the conciliation on November 18. They are currently in a 21-day reflection period that ends Dec. 10, according to the union. CBC News contacted Air Transat for a statement.
“This vote sends an undeniable message to Air Transat management: we are united, determined and have won a contract that reflects current industry standards, not 2015 standards,” said Bradley Small, chair of Air Transat’s ALPA Master Executive Council.
“Let’s be clear: we do not want to strike. Our goal remains to reach an equitable agreement at the negotiating table,” Small said, urging management to “negotiate seriously.”
