Labour woes in the airline industry aren't just affecting Canada - Southwest Airlines pilots voted to strike on 11MAY, while United Airlines pilots began picketing airports across the U.S. on 12MAY.
Southwest Airlines
As reported by BNN Bloomberg, Southwest pilots voted "nearly unanimously" to authorize a strike, in what the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association says is frustration over lack of progress in contract negotiations. 98 per cent of the airline's 10,000 pilots cast ballots, with 99 per cent of those voting in favour of a strike. The vote does not mean pilots will strike immediately, but it gives union leaders to approval to do so if authorized by the U.S. National Mediation Board.
“The lack of leadership and the unwillingness to address the failures of our organization have led us to this point,” said Casey Murray, union president.
Southwest said in a separate statement that negotiations are continuing, and that the latest development will have no impact on its scheduled operations.
United Airlines
At around the same time, Yahoo reports at least 3,000 United Airlines pilots picketed at 10 major U.S. airports on 12MAY. According to Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the union representing the workers, this represented the "largest non-strike rally in the history of commercial aviation."
According to ALPA, pilots at United have not had a pay raise in over four years, and described negotiations with the airline as "all but stalled."
Labour action from both airlines come weeks after American Airlines pilots voted to authorized strike action.
Canadian Cousins
In Canada, Simple Flying reports WestJet pilots appear ready to take strike action. However, neither the pilot’s union nor management have given 72-hour notice to form a strike or a management lockout.
As previously reported by Open Jaw, the airline and its 1,850 WestJet and Swoop pilots who are ALPA members have been negotiating a new contract since fall of 2022. The strike deadline is 16MAY.
With this deadline looming, WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech published a statement on 12MAY saying the airline is "serious about getting a deal." He added that WestJet is "committed to getting a deal" and avoiding impacts to guests. At the same time, von Hoensbroech stressed that WestJet is "equally ready to hold our ground on what is reasonable and to take actions to bring this to a resolution to give the Canadian travelling public, and our people, the certainty they deserve."
A previous statement from the airline reaffirms this position: “WestJet is not willing to put the future of the company and 15,000 jobs at risk by agreeing to a contract that isn’t financially viable for the long-term future. With the endorsement of WestJet’s Board of Directors, WestJet is ready to financially weather labour action if required.”
As previously reported by Open Jaw, 1,600 WestJet pilots picketed at YVR, YYZ and YYC on 08MAY.
