By Christopher Reynolds
Air Canada pilots have given a green light to a tentative agreement with the airline, dashing any fears of a future strike and allowing management and passengers to breathe easier.
Aviators voted 67 per cent in favour of the deal, the Air Line Pilots Association said Thursday.
The agreement grants the carrier’s roughly 5,400 pilots a cumulative wage hike of nearly 42 per cent over four years.
The increase outstrips major gains won last year by pilots at the three biggest U.S. airlines, where pay bumps ranged between 34 and 40 per cent — though they started from a higher baseline.
Despite the big top-line figure, the fact that roughly one-third of Air Canada pilots voted to reject the agreement reveals ongoing divides over issues such as scheduling, quality of life and a large pay gap between newer employees and more experienced flight crews.
The head of the union’s Air Canada contingent argued the contract demonstrates the company’s commitment to its pilots.
“This agreement helps restore what Air Canada pilots have lost over the past two decades and creates a strong foundation from which to build on,” said Charlene Hudy in a statement on Thursday.
Air Canada also welcomed the thumbs-up from pilots.
“The agreement is mutually beneficial and it will keep our pilots the best compensated in Canada and provide the work-life balance improvements they were seeking. At the same time, the agreement gives our company flexibility and creates a framework for future growth of the airline and its network,” said chief executive Michael Rousseau in a release.
The tentative contract, hammered out in mid-September after more than a year of negotiations, averted a strike that would have seen some 670 flight cancellations and 110,000 passengers affected daily.
Over the past few weeks, the union held roadshows to pitch the would-be deal to members.
Hudy warned her colleagues in a virtual town hall last month that she would step down if they opted to reject the agreement, raising the stakes as aviators mulled whether to accept the salary gains or try to drive an even harder bargain.
About 99 per cent of eligible pilots cast ballots in the ratification vote, the union said.
The contract goes into effect immediately, retroactive to September 2023 and expiring on Sept. 29, 2027.
