WestJet strike leading to cancelled flights at Pearson Airport in Mississauga has been rescinded

A strike notice issued by WestJet mechanics, which led to multiple flights being cancelled at Mississauga’s Pearson Airport and other airports in Canada, has since been rescinded.

On Monday night, the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, representing the carrier’s aircraft maintenance engineers, said it had served WestJet “with legal notice of the bargaining unit’s intention to strike beginning at 9 p.m. eastern time on June 20.”

The notice was given in response to a formal request on Monday from WestJet that the matter be turned over to the Canadian Industrial Relations Board and Minister of Labour for arbitration to resolve the dispute.

Early Thursday, WestJet confirmed that the strike notice has been rescinded and both parties are expected to return to the bargaining table.

In response to WestJet’s request for arbitration, the Canadian Industrial Relations Board has said it will require more time and submissions from both parties before making a decision on whether or not collective bargaining for our first agreement should be resolved by way of arbitration.

In the meantime, the carrier’s mechanics will not go on strike on Thursday as initially planned.

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“We recognize the impact the initial cancellations had on our guests and our people, and we sincerely appreciate their patience and understanding during this time,” said Diederik Pen, President of WestJet Airlines.

Mississauga’s Pearson Airport says it doesn’t anticipate any further cancellations for WestJet flights today as a result.

Important update for travellers flying with WestJet.
The airline says it and the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) has rescinded its strike notice set for 9 p.m. today, and both parties will be returning to the bargaining table.
We do not anticipate any further… https://t.co/mPyOQiKeVl

— Toronto Pearson (@TorontoPearson) June 20, 2024

The AMFA represents both aircraft mechanics and related skilled employees/technical operations support members at WestJet.

Earlier in negotiations, workers staged an information picket on April 18 at Pearson, Canada’s biggest and busiest airport.

The union is unpleased with the wages and benefits being provided to its members, and believes “wages have been suppressed” in Canada for several years. In an earlier online negotiations update, the mechanics association said an offer from WestJet in March that included wage increases of 3.5, 2, 2, 1 and 1 per cent over five years was not acceptable.

With files from Declan Finucane