Westjet cancels flights after announcing a 72-hour mechanics strike

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WestJet Airlines Ltd. has begun canceling flights and is preparing for a possible strike by the airline’s mechanics union.

In a statement on Tuesday, the airline said about 40 flights and 6,500 passengers would be affected.

“We are deeply disheartened to find ourselves in a situation where we must activate our contingency plan and begin grounding aircraft due to the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association’s strike announcement,” Westjet President Diederik Pen said in a press release.

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“We deeply regret that this will impact the travel plans of our guests, communities and businesses that rely on our vital air service.”

The union announced a 72-hour strike on Tuesday after 97.5 percent of members rejected a preliminary deal with the airline.

“WestJet is now refusing to negotiate, despite several of the company’s executives previously committing to continue negotiations this week,” the union wrote in a statement.

WestJet has now asked for negotiations to be referred to the Canada Industrial Relations Board, which would arbitrate the terms of an agreement.

“After the members’ nearly unanimous decision to reject a generous interim collective agreement that would have made our aircraft maintenance technicians among the highest paid in the country, with a 30 to 40 percent net wage increase in the first year of the proposed agreement, it is clear that the negotiation process has failed,” Pen said.

The union called the arbitration a “clever” tactic that would jeopardize its chances of winning an “industry-changing contract.”

With files from The Canadian Press

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