Canadaâs secÂond-largest airÂline, WestÂJet, has been forced to canÂcel over 400 flights impactÂing nearÂly 49,000 pasÂsenÂgers due to a surÂprise strike by its mainÂteÂnance workÂers union, the AirÂcraft MechanÂics FraÂterÂnal AssoÂciÂaÂtion (AMFA).
The union iniÂtiÂatÂed the strike on FriÂday evening, citÂing WestÂJetâs alleged âunwillÂingÂness to negoÂtiÂateâ a new conÂtract despite a govÂernÂment-manÂdatÂed bindÂing arbiÂtraÂtion process.
This sudÂden labor action disÂruptÂed both domesÂtic and interÂnaÂtionÂal WestÂJet flights, folÂlowÂing weeks of tense negoÂtiÂaÂtions between the airÂline and the union. WestÂJet CEO AlexÂis von HoensÂbroech critÂiÂcized the AMFA, callÂing them a ârogue unionâ and the strike âunnecÂesÂsaryâ due to the arbiÂtraÂtion order.
HowÂevÂer, the AMFA negoÂtiÂatÂing comÂmitÂtee pointÂed to a CanaÂda IndusÂtriÂal RelaÂtions Board (CIRB) order that didÂnât explicÂitÂly proÂhibÂit strikes durÂing arbiÂtraÂtion. Union repÂreÂsenÂtaÂtive Sean McVeigh, pickÂetÂing at ToronÂto PearÂson InterÂnaÂtionÂal AirÂport, statÂed the strike aimed to presÂsure WestÂJet back to negotiations.
WestÂJet expects to operÂate a limÂitÂed schedÂule of around 30 flights by SunÂday evening, with remainÂing airÂcraft groundÂed throughÂout the CanaÂda Day long weekÂend. This inciÂdent highÂlights ongoÂing chalÂlenges airÂlines face in manÂagÂing labor relaÂtions, espeÂcialÂly when govÂernÂment interÂvenÂtion falls short of resolvÂing deepÂer conflicts.
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