Air Canada pilots took over the international departures at Vancouver International Airport on Tuesday to “demonstrate their solidarity in modernizing their decade-old contract.”
The demonstration does not constitute a formal strike and Air Canada planes will still be flying as pilots staffing the picket will be on their day off.
The move comes after the union announced Thursday that Air Canada pilots voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike mandate should current negotiations fail to produce a new collective agreement.
A 21-day cooling-off period now begins and 5,400 pilots will be in a legal position to strike starting on Sept. 17.
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“I think that the pilots are going to be taking some time to reflect as to when they should have a strike to have the greatest impact on Air Canada and Air Canada’s willingness to negotiate a settlement,” John Gradek, a faculty lecturer at McGill University and the program coordinator of the Global Aviation Leadership Program told Global News.
“I would delay it until around Thanksgiving or before Thanksgiving, that would get Air Canada’s attention.”
If the strike goes ahead in Septemeber, Air Canada pilots would have to give 72-hour strike notice.
Wages, retirement benefits, scheduling and other quality-of-life improvements have been among the sticking points for Air Canada pilots so far.
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