Porter pilots file for conciliation in contract negotiations

Porter pilots have filed a Notice of Dispute with the Minister of Labour, requesting conciliation assistance from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

The pilots – who are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) — filed the Notice to Bargain in September 2025. This decision marks a significant step in the negotiations process for Porter pilots to secure their first collective agreement as ALPA members.

Capt. Brian Smith, chair of the Porter ALPA Master Executive Council (MEC), said that: “After months of waiting for meaningful movement, it’s clear that the company is not prepared to engage in real bargaining.”

Capt. Smith continued: “As Porter management has failed to contribute meaningful proposals to address these concerns, conciliation has become a necessary step to ensure we can secure an industry-standard agreement that provides the predictability and stability our members and their families deserve.”

With the request for conciliation, the Minister of Labour now has 15 days to appoint a conciliation officer. Once appointed, the conciliator will work with the parties for 60 days to reach an agreement. If both parties remain at an impasse following conciliation (and unless the parties agree to extend conciliation), a 21-day cooling-off period would begin before the parties can engage in self-help.

Said Capt. Smith: “As MEC chair, I have heard loud and clear that our pilots need dependable, predictable, and stable working conditions that allow them to balance family life with the demands of our profession. Management has remained focused on Porter Airlines’ rapid expansion and has relied heavily on the professionalism, dedication, flexibility, and goodwill of our pilots to support that growth.”

And he added: “Meanwhile, they have failed to ensure that working conditions also evolve to reflect the needs of Porter pilots. As a result, our pilots now find themselves working under increasingly unpredictable conditions that have fallen well behind industry standards.”