Air Transat A.T. and the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l. (ALPA) announced today that they have reached a tentative agreement on a new five-year contract that includes significant improvements. Union leaders and the airline came to terms after more than a year of direct negotiations and federal conciliation and follows the expiration of the current collective agreement on April 30, 2015.
“After reviewing the latest global agreement presented by the company, our local union leadership and negotiators have unanimously approved sending it out to our membership for a ratification vote,” said Capt. Patrice Roy, chairman of ALPA’s Air Transat Master Executive Council. “This tentative agreement represents a step in the right direction towards bringing pilot wages into line with their peers.”
Captain Roy said contract details are being withheld until the union can explain the agreement to all Air Transat’s pilots. He expects ratification voting to begin next month.
“We are satisfied that management has recognized our contributions to the company’s success. We can now once again look forward to helping our airline grow and prosper,” said Capt. Roy.
If ratified, the contract will be in effect from May 1, 2015 until April 30, 2020.
Pilots at Air Transat joined ALPA in 1999. The group’s 524 members operate the fleet’s A310-300s and A330-200s and -300s, plus B-737-700s and -800s from bases in Montreal, P.Q.; Toronto, Ont.; and Vancouver, B.C.
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents over 52,000 pilots at 30 U.S. and Canadian airlines, including more than 2,600 Canadian flightcrew members who fly for Air Transat, Bearskin, Calm Air, Canadian North, First Air, Jazz Aviation, Kelowna Flightcraft, and Wasaya.
