Pilots Insist They Want a Fair Contract, Not a Strike

At 1500 MT on May 29, WestJet Encore pilots issued a 72-hour strike notice to WestJet Encore management and the government. This started the clock on a 72-hour countdown to negotiate a fair and equitable contract before the pilots can legally utilize all the options available to them under the Canada Labour Code. After two weeks of bargaining following the pilots’ rejection of a tentative agreement (TA), some progress has been made; however, both sides remain apart on addressing the issues of central importance to the pilot group.