Canada’s second largest airline cancels over 400 flights after employees go on shock strike

TORONTO — Canada’s second largest airline, WestJet, mentioned it canceled 407 flights affecting 49,000 passengers after the upkeep employees union introduced it went on strike.

The Plane Mechanics Fraternal Affiliation mentioned its members began to strike Friday night as a result of the airline’s “unwillingness to barter with the union” made it inevitable.

The shock strike affecting worldwide and home flights got here after the federal authorities issued a ministerial order for binding arbitration on Thursday. That adopted two weeks of turbulent discussions with the union on a brand new deal.

WestJet mentioned it is going to proceed to park plane by way of Sunday for the lengthy weekend culminating in Canada Day on Monday.

The airline has about 200 plane and says they’ll function roughly 30 by Sunday night.

The airline’s CEO, Alexis von Hoensbroech, put the blame for the state of affairs squarely on what he mentioned was a “rogue union from the U.S.” that was making an attempt to make inroads in Canada.

Von Hoensbroech mentioned that, so far as the airline was involved, bargaining with the union had come to an finish as soon as the federal government directed the dispute to binding arbitration.

“This makes a strike completely absurd as a result of the rationale you truly do a strike is as a result of it is advisable train strain on the bargaining desk,” he mentioned. “If there is no such thing as a bargaining desk it is mindless, there shouldn’t be a strike.”

He added the union had rejected a contract provide that might have made the airline’s mechanics the “best-paid within the nation.”

In an replace to its membership, the union negotiating committee referenced an order by the Canada Industrial Relations Board that doesn’t explicitly bar any strikes or lockouts because the tribunal undertakes arbitration.

Sean McVeigh, a WestJet plane upkeep engineer picketing Saturday at Toronto Pearson Worldwide Airport Terminal 3, mentioned the strike is an try and power the airline to return to a “respectful negotiation.”