WestJet: AME union issues second strike notice ahead of busy Canada Day weekend

WestJet said the Aircraft Maintenance Technicians (AMEs) union had issued a second strike notice ahead of the busiest travel weekend of the summer.

WestJet said the work stoppage could take place as early as 5:30 p.m. Mountain Time on Friday, ahead of the Canada Day weekend, when more than 70,000 guests make their travel bookings every day.

“To receive a second strike notice from the union after mutually agreeing with WestJet to return to the bargaining table in good faith for an additional four days following last week’s initial disruption is disheartening and unacceptable,” Diederik Pen, WestJet Airlines president and chief operating officer, said in a statement.

WestJet AMEs are represented by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA).

WestJet said it had made an offer for a 22 percent salary increase over four years, making WestJet flight attendants “by far the best-paid flight attendants in Canada,” the airline said.

“The union’s demand goes far beyond this limit and remains unreasonable,” the airline added in its statement.

WestJet said the union’s strike announcement “does not mean there will be travel disruption,” but added that it would begin preparations for a reduced flight schedule.

The airline has also issued a lockout order to the union to mitigate the impact of potential industrial action. In the event of flight delays or cancellations, affected guests will receive a refund or “new accommodation,” the airline said.

WestJet said it appeared before the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to discuss its request for arbitration and determine next steps.

AMFA filed an affidavit opposing WestJet’s request for mandatory arbitration, stating on its website that it “would give the company a Pyrrhic victory.”

“What would be left behind is a disgruntled workforce and a missed opportunity to halt the decline of the aircraft maintenance technician profession,” AMFA said.

A decision by the CIRB is still pending.

“WestJet presented its latest industry-leading offer in Canada to the union,” Pen added. “It was promptly rejected and a strike announced, leaving us with no choice but to impose a lockout to manage travel disruptions for hundreds of thousands of guests. It is our duty to ensure the safe and orderly closure of our network in the coming days and to minimize the risk of stranding our guests, our crew and our aircraft.”

In addition to WestJet, AMFA represents workers at L3Harris and several other airlines.