Air Canada Pilots represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) have been in negotiations with Air Canada for more than a year. ALPA represents Air Canada’s 5,400 pilots and is bargaining for a contract that reflects the improvements that have been won by pilots across the US airline sector.
Rather than negotiate with ALPA, Air Canada is hoping the federal government will, just like it did with the railway workers at CN and CPCK, step in and order binding arbitration. Air Canada, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the Business Council of Canada and the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses have all asked the government to bail out the airline, and the Liberals have yet to say that they won’t.
Corporate welfare is alive and well in Canada. The Liberals have sent the signal to our country’s business class that, when the going gets tough, they’ve got their back. Rather than do the hard work of negotiating a fair deal, why not call Steven MacKinnon and tell him to deal with it?
Pilots have the Right to Strike
Flying is privilege, not a right. There is no argument for protecting vital economic interests that would give the Liberal government the authority to intervene in this strike. Write to the Federal Labour minister, Steven Mackinnon, and to your federal MP, to let them know that the government needs to keep its nose out of ALPA-Air Canada negotiations!