2024-06-29 11:52:11
(Calgary) WestJet executives mentioned Saturday afternoon at a information convention in Calgary that 235 flights had already been canceled by midday, affecting about 33,000 passengers, and that one other 150 flights could possibly be canceled by the top of the day. day if there isn’t a resolution. discovered to the stroll.
Printed at 7:52 am Up to date at 12:10 pm
The Fraternal Affiliation of Plane Mechanics (AMFA) mentioned its members went on strike round 7:30 pm Japanese Time on Friday as a result of the airline was “reluctant to barter with the union the inevitable strike.
The transfer comes because the federal authorities on Thursday ordered binding arbitration to resolve the dispute between the airline and its mechanics.
Within the final two weeks, troublesome discussions have been held with the union with a purpose to attain a brand new collective settlement.
In an replace to its 680 members, the union’s negotiating committee referred to an order from the Canadian Industrial Relations Board that doesn’t expressly prohibit strikes or lockouts whereas the court docket is arbitrating on the following of the directive from Labor Minister Seamus O’Regan Dé Wednesday.
PHOTOGRAPHS OF OLD KILL PATRICK, CANADIAN PROTESTANT
Federal Labor Minister Seamus O’Regan
On Saturday morning, Mr. O’Regan mentioned he was reviewing the Canadian Industrial Relations Board’s order as a result of it’s “not constant” with its pointers. “I’ll think about extra measures to guard the pursuits of the employer, the union and all Canadians touring throughout this nationwide vacation weekend,” he mentioned on the X social community.
Officers with Calgary-based WestJet blasted the mechanics union’s determination Friday, saying they’re “deeply appalled by these actions” and saying AMFA will likely be “totally accountable for the pointless stress and expense subsequently”.
Early Saturday, WestJet President Diederik Pen mentioned in a press release that the strike “serves nobody” and that “the dimensions of this intentional disruption is appalling.”
“We’re indignant. I wish to guarantee you that all the things we will do to unravel this downside,” he mentioned.
On Thursday, WestJet mentioned AMFA was complying with the arbitration order and because of this, “there will likely be no strike or lockout and the airline won’t cancel any additional flights.”
Test WestJet flight standing
Sean McVeigh, a WestJet plane upkeep engineer who was on the picket line at Terminal 3 at Toronto Pearson Worldwide Airport on Saturday, mentioned the strike was an try and drive the airline to return to “respectful bargaining,” including that it regretted on the union about any inconvenience. brought on by passengers.
“The rationale they (passengers) might have missed a flight or needed to cancel a flight is as a result of WestJet will not be respectfully sitting on the desk and negotiating,” he mentioned together with an opinion there are twenty extra folks on the picket line.
He identified that staff had been demanding higher working situations and a “truthful and respectable wage” as a result of they tackle “plenty of duties”.
Earlier this month, mechanics overwhelmingly rejected a short lived contract with WestJet, prompting the airline to hunt authorities intervention.
In the event that they accepted the supply, WestJet mechanics can be the “highest paid officer within the nation”, in keeping with the corporate’s CEO, Alexis Von Hoensbroech.
The latter blamed the state of affairs on the “rogue union from the US” attempting to determine itself in Canada.
“This strike is totally absurd, as a result of the rationale we’re occurring strike is that we have now to place stress on the folks on the negotiating desk. If there isn’t a negotiation desk, it is senseless, there shouldn’t be a strike,” mentioned Mr. Von Hoensbroech.
The fault lies with administration and never the union.
Sean McVeigh, WestJet plane upkeep engineer
Gabor Lukacs, president of the air passenger rights group, believes that “the fault lies with administration, not the union.” “From a enterprise administration standpoint, WestJet did not deal with the state of affairs properly and it wants to deal with the state of affairs,” he mentioned in a phone interview.
He mentioned WestJet is obligated by regulation to seek out different journey preparations for stranded passengers inside 48 hours, both by means of different flights or with a competitor.
Individuals may also ask for a refund, however Mr. Lukacs advises in opposition to it.
“I counsel passengers to not settle for refunds. In case you settle for a refund, WestJet can wash its arms of its obligations to you. »
The change of place that came about on Friday appeared to have affected vacationers and executives alike.
“Is my flight on Sunday in danger? “, requested Andrew Wheatley, from Edmonton, in a message on the social community X. “I assist the proper of a union to strike whether it is authorized. And I hope he will get some good ones. However on the identical time, I’ve to work on Monday morning,” he mentioned.
This isn’t the primary time WestJet has gone on strike. Final 12 months, the airline prevented a strike early within the Might lengthy weekend, however not earlier than greater than 230 flights had been canceled and 1000’s had been pressured to alter their journey plans.
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