WestJet reaches agreement with engineers union, ending 48-hour strike chaos – AeroTime

calgaryplanes.com / Creative Commons

WestJet and the Airplane Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) confirmed that the three-day strikes have ended.

In a statement dated June 30, 2024, AMFA, which represents WestJet’s aircraft maintenance technicians, said it had negotiated a new contract for the next five years after resuming talks on Sunday.

After the latest strike began on June 28, 2024, 680 WestJet technicians walked off the job and Canada’s second-largest airline was forced to maintain emergency operations, with 150 of its 180-strong fleet grounded.

WestJet began cancelling flights on June 27, 2024 in preparation for the industrial action and has so far cancelled 829 flights as a direct result of the strike.

Disruptions are expected to continue on July 1, 2024 as WestJet works to resume operations following the chaos of one of Canada’s busiest travel weekends.

“The damage to Canadians and our airline is enormous, a quick resolution was necessary. We are not taking victory laps, but we will sleep better tonight knowing that further damage has been prevented,” said Diederik Pen, president of WestJet Airlines and the group’s chief operating officer. “We will not see any further industrial action arising from this dispute as both parties have agreed to arbitrate the contract in the event of a failed ratification.”

Under the new tentative agreement, which must be approved by union members, AMFA secured “immediate wage increases, full restoration of the WestJet Savings Plan (WSP) and improved employee benefits.”

“We believe this outcome would not have been possible without the strike, but regret the disruption and inconvenience it caused to travellers during the Canada Day holiday. The timing was fortuitous as the negotiation process did not follow a predictable timeline,” AMFA said in a statement.

The union added: “We are pleased that the strike lasted only 48 hours and operations can now return to normal. We appreciate the public’s support as our organization stood up to management on behalf of hard-working Canadians. We thank everyone for their patience in the face of canceled flights and schedule changes.”

The new agreement follows a difficult period between WestJet and AMFA after a previous tentative agreement was rejected by aircraft maintenance engineers in June 2024.

After a planned strike was cancelled on June 20, 2024, WestJet and AMFA returned to the negotiating table, but talks ended on June 27, 2024.