Canada WestJet cancels 150 flights as mechanics union goes on strike – Firstpost

Aircraft maintenance technicians and other technical staff at Canadian airline WestJet Airlines began a strike on Friday at the start of a long weekend after several rounds of negotiations failed to reach agreement on salaries and working conditions.
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At least 150 flights operated by WestJet, Canada’s second-largest airline, have been cancelled after the maintenance workers’ union announced a strike. The cancellations have affected 20,000 passengers since Saturday.

Aircraft maintenance technicians and other technical staff at Canadian airline WestJet Airlines began a strike on Friday at the start of a long weekend after several rounds of negotiations failed to reach agreement on salaries and working conditions.

The strike came after the federal government issued a ministerial order for binding arbitration on Thursday, following two weeks of turbulent negotiations with the union over a new collective agreement.

On Thursday, WestJet said the union had “confirmed that it will comply with the directive. With that in mind, there will be no strikes or lockouts and the airline will not cancel any more flights.”

The surprise strike, which affects international and domestic flights, takes place during the Canada Day long weekend.

WestJet, an airline based in Calgary, Alberta, said it was “extremely outraged” and would hold the union fully accountable for the unnecessary burden and costs.

In an update to its members, the union’s bargaining committee pointed to a Canada Industrial Relations Board order that does not explicitly prohibit strikes or lockouts during the tribunal’s arbitration process.

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