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The union that represents Air Transat’s pilots said on Wednesday that its members have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike.
While the results give the pilot union’s governing body the authority to declare a strike as soon as Dec. 10, it is not in itself an immediate strike notice, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) said in a news release.
Air Transat stressed that this is a “common step in the collective bargaining process” and that operations were continuing as normal.
“The goal remains to negotiate a collective agreement that satisfies both parties, reflects market realities and those of the company, and recognizes the contribution of our pilots. We are confident that we will reach an agreement and thereby avoid any impact on our customers’ travel plans,” Air Transat said in a statement to CBC News.
Negotiations between ALPA and the airline began in January, three months before the collective agreement was set to expire.
A representative for the union said it is seeking a collective agreement that protects job security and improves “working conditions, compensation, and quality of life.”
The two parties left conciliation on Nov. 18. They are currently in a 21-day cooling-off period that ends on Dec. 10, according to the union.
“This vote sends an undeniable message to Air Transat management: We are unified, resolute and have earned a contract that reflects today’s industry standards, not the standards from 2015,” said Bradley Small, the chair of the Air Transat ALPA master executive council.
“Let us be clear, we do not want to strike. Our goal remains to reach an equitable agreement at the negotiating table,” said Small, while urging management to “negotiate seriously.”