WestJet maintenance workers call off strike | News

WestJet mechanics and technical staff have agreed to call off their strike and return to work while their union, the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), negotiates a new contract with the company.

The Calgary-based airline said late on the evening of June 30 that it had resumed talks with AMFA earlier in the day. Since late last week, the company has been forced to park 130 of its 180 aircraft at 13 airports across Canada and cancel “more than 800” flights over the travel-heavy Canada Day long weekend.

The maintenance workers’ strike continued despite intervention by Seamus O’Regan Jr., Canada’s Minister of Labour, who had instructed the Canada Industrial Relations Board to help the WestJet Group and the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association agree on a new collective agreement.

“The damage to Canadians and our airline is enormous, and a swift resolution was necessary. We are not taking victory laps on this outcome, but we will sleep better tonight knowing that further damage was prevented,” said Diederik Pen, Chief Operating Officer of WestJet.

“We will not see any further industrial action as a result of this dispute as both parties have agreed to resolve the contract through arbitration in the event of failed ratification.”

WestJet, which was caught off guard by the union’s decision to launch a strike, said it was “outraged” that the action had continued despite the Minister of Labour’s mediation order. The union is seeking a collective agreement with improved pay, benefits and quality of life measures. It said the WestJet Group had not negotiated in good faith.

In a LinkedIn post on July 1, CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech wrote: “The last three days have been among the most difficult of my career.”

“More than 800 canceled flights and 100,000 stranded guests later, we had to find a solution – and we did,” he wrote. “Tonight, we reached a tentative agreement with the union representing our aircraft maintenance technicians and other technical operations employees.”

A day earlier, von Hoensbroech had written on LinkedIn: “In my 25 years in aviation, I have never encountered such an unreasonable contractual partner.”

The company will now resume operations “as quickly as possible.”

“Given the significant impact on WestJet’s network over the past few days, the return to normal flight operations will take some time and further disruption is expected over the coming week as the airline needs to get aircraft and crew back into position,” the company added.