Release #: WJA 18.07
June 11, 2018
WestJet Pilots Secure Swoop Flying
Calgary, AB—The WestJet pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), are pleased to announce that the arbitrator addressed one of the pilots’ top issues in bargaining—job security—with the interim award issued last week. Among other things, the award ruled that WestJet pilots will fly Swoop planes and determined the seniority of pilots already hired at Swoop.
Capt. Rob McFadyen, chairman of WestJet’s ALPA Master Executive Council, said, “Our company can no longer outsource our work to Swoop and, going forward, WestJet pilots will fly those planes. Our goal remains to attain an industry-standard collective agreement that addresses our pilots’ total compensation and working conditions while bringing stability to the airline.”
Swoop will recognize ALPA as the exclusive bargaining agent for all Swoop pilots, who will be on the airline’s one seniority list. The parties also agree a bargaining unit encompassing pilots employed by both WestJet and Swoop is appropriate for collective bargaining. WestJet and ALPA will now make a joint application to the Canada Industrial Relations Board to amend ALPA’s bargaining certificate to include Swoop flying. The parties also agreed that WestJet and Swoop are common employers.
Furthermore, the parties are scheduling additional mediation/arbitration dates over the summer months to fully address all remaining issues.
Learn more about the WestJet pilots’ journey for their first contract at www.alpa.org/wja.
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 60,000 pilots at 34 airlines in the United States and Canada, including the approximately 1,500 WestJet pilots and approximately 500 WestJet Encore pilots as well as pilots at Air Georgian, Air Transat, Bearskin, Calm Air, Canadian North, First Air, Jazz Aviation, Kelowna Flightcraft, and Wasaya. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WestJetALPA and Facebook @WestJetPilots.
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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org