Strike Averted: Air Transat and its Pilots reach tentative agreement

Air Transat and its 750 pilots represented by the Air Line Pilots Association Int’l (ALPA) have announced that they have reached a tentative agreement.

In its announcement of the agreement, Air Transat said that “this agreement, which marks an important milestone in the process, lifts the risk of a strike and now allows its customers to travel with peace of mind. It will be submitted for ratification by the union members in the coming days.”

Annick Guérard, President and Chief Executive Officer of Transat, said: “We are pleased to have finally reached a tentative agreement with the union representing our pilots, marking a complete overhaul of their collective agreement. We would have greatly preferred to avoid the threat of a strike, which forced us to modify our operations.”

We are aware that this period has created significant uncertainty, and we extend our sincerest apologies to our customers whose flights were disrupted in recent days.

Guérard continued: “We are aware that this period has created significant uncertainty, and we extend our sincerest apologies to our customers whose flights were disrupted in recent days. Our priority now is to quickly restore our operations and deliver on our commitment to provide service that meets our standards.”

In its statement, ALPA confirmed that Air Transat pilot leaders have voted to approve a Tentative Agreement for pilot ratification.

Capt. Bradley Small, chair of the Air Transat ALPA Master Executive Council (MEC), said: “Our pilots have been frustrated flying under a decade-old, outdated collective agreement. This was compounded by months of stall tactics by Air Transat management during our nearly year-long negotiation.”

Small continued:  “That is why we are pleased to announce that our unity and resolve finally brought Air Transat management to the bargaining table to negotiate in a meaningful way, resulting in a Tentative Agreement.”

The tentative agreement comes following more than 11 months of intensive negotiations, the agreement delivers a modern contract that recognizes the professional contributions of Air Transat pilots. The more than 750 Air Transat pilots will vote on the comprehensive agreement in the coming days.

For the past decade, Air Transat pilots provided stability and growth for the airline through repeated sacrifices to career growth, quality of life provisions, and compensation. Air Transat pilot leaders believe this contract goes a long way toward recognizing today’s aviation industry standards and delivers on the goals of better job security, enhanced compensation, and more flexible schedules to allow for a better work-life balance.

Said Small: “Our current pilot contract lags significantly behind industry standards in Canada and North America. We believe this new agreement meets the needs of today’s profession, consistent with collective agreements other ALPA-represented pilot groups are signing with their employers.”

If ratified, the Air Transat pilots will send a strong message that they continue to remain committed to being a major contributor to Air Transat’s success and will play a vital role in helping the company recognize its growth strategy.