Air Transat pilots have issued a 72-hour strike notice to the carrier, setting up the possibility of a walkout as early as 3:00 a.m. ET on Wednesday, 10DEC, if contract talks fail to produce a deal.
The roughly 750 pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), have been in negotiations for nearly a year to replace a 2015 contract and are seeking industry-standard pay, benefits, work rules, and job security.
Earlier this month, 99% of participating pilots voted to authorize strike action starting on 10DEC, following the end of a mandatory 21-day cooling-off period under the Canada Labour Code.
ALPA’s Air Transat Master Executive Council chair, Capt. Bradley Small, said pilots are prepared to strike if necessary but emphasized there is still time to reach a “modern” agreement and avoid disruptions for travellers. Under federal labour law, both the union and the airline can move to a work stoppage after the cooling-off period as long as 72 hours’ notice is given.
