Air Canada promises air travellers it will be business as usual despite concerns about the impacts of an "informational picket" planned by its unionized pilots at the airline's main hub on 29SEP, according to Reuters.
Open Jaw reported on 27SEP that AC's pilots are seeking to publicly pressure the airline into agreeing to improved pay and working conditions as they renegotiate their collective agreement. In a show of solidarity, pilots from other airlines are expected to join the demonstration.
Canadian pilots are advocating for higher salaries and improved scheduling, especially in light of significant advancements in pay and conditions secured, not only by their U.S. counterparts at companies such as Delta Air Lines and American Airlines in recent months, but also by an increasing number of Canadian carriers' pilots.
Charlene Hudy, chair of the Air Canada Master Executive Council, stated, "As we watch Air Canada cut routes due to an industry-wide shortage of pilots, we encourage them to close the growing wage gap between Canada and the United States."
As Open Jaw has reported, Air Canada's estimated 4,500 pilots have received a 2% wage increase yearly since 2014 under the terms of its current, 10-year contract, which the pilots voted to exit one year early, seeing their counterparts at other Canadian airlines making double-digit wage gains in recent months during a pilot shortage that puts labour in the driver's seat during contract talks.
Months ago, AC pilots voted to join the world's largest pilots' union, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which also represented WestJet pilots in their contract talks that resulted in historic gains earlier this year.
ALPA began bargaining with Air Canada for a new contract for its pilots in JUN.
