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Air Transat says it has “made progress” in negotiations with the union representing its pilots, just a day after the Airline Pilots Association, Intl. issued a 72-hour strike notice.
Both sides, which began negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement in January, said they were negotiating around the clock with pilots ready to walk off the job as soon as 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
“We are working tirelessly and still hope to reach an agreement within the day to minimize disruption,” said Andrean Gagne, senior director of communications, public affairs and corporate responsibility at Air Transat, in an email to CBC News.
Discussions will continue today, Gagne added. “We are committed to finding a reasonable consensus and the union must step up to meet us given the generous offer we have put on the table.”
According to Air Transat, flights scheduled for December 8 will continue as planned for now. The airline previously said it would begin phasing out flights in anticipation of a strike.
The union representing Air Transat pilots has issued a 72-hour strike notice, meaning pilots could go on strike as early as Wednesday. In response, the airline said it would gradually cease operations over the next three days.
Air Transat and ALPA are seeking to replace an agreement that was reached in 2015 and expired at the end of April. According to the union, issues discussed include wages, benefits, labor rules and job security.
The airline said in a statement on Sunday that its latest proposal includes a 59 percent pay rise over five years with “significant improvements” in working conditions, and called the union's demands “unfounded.”
Captain Louis-Eric Mongrin, Vice President ALPA Canada told CBC News on Monday that the union intends to reach an agreement “before Wednesday's strike deadline.”
“The rift still exists, but it is narrowing by the minute. So that’s good,” Mongrain said.
He said the union didn't want both sides to end up in arbitration.
“Arbitration is never good because arbitration makes the rules,” Mongrain said. “We want to see deals being negotiated by both sides at the table. It's better for everyone involved. It’s better for the public and better for workers in Canada overall.”
