The president of the union believes that the WestJet Airlines mechanics’ walkout, which resulted in hundreds of cancelled flights over Canada’s long weekend, will not stop until an agreement is reached.
The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association President, Bret Oestreich, reported that a mediator was involved when the two parties met again on Sunday.
The union, which represents about 680 WestJet employees, including aircraft maintenance engineers, went on strike last Friday in response to a salary agreement that was agreed in May being rejected by 97% of its members.
Oestreich stated, “We just want to get back to the table.” “The strike will continue until we resolve.”
According to him, on a roughly four-year contract, there is a first-year economic disparity between the two parties of about 7%, or less than US$8 million.
As the strike reached its third day, WestJet Airlines announced on Sunday that it had cancelled an additional 410 flights during the night, for a total of more than 800 flights.
According to airline president Diederik Pen, “WestJet receives a binding arbitration order and awaits urgent clarification from the government that a strike and arbitration cannot exist simultaneously.”
Alexis von Hoensbroech, the CEO of WestJet, accused the union on Saturday of causing the disturbance.
The union leaders, he claimed, would not engage in negotiations. – News reports
