Canada’s WestJet cancels most flights as mechanics strike - Al Jazeera English

Plans of some 110,000 travellers upended after some 680 workers walk off the job.

Canada’s WestJet has cancelled more than 800 flights after mechanics walked off the job, upending the travel plans of thousands of people over the Canada Day long weekend.

Some 680 workers have been on strike since Friday after the Calgary-based airline and the Airplane Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) failed to reach a deal on salaries and working conditions.

WestJet President and CEO Diederik Pen on Sunday apologised to travellers over the “unnecessary work stoppage”.

“I am encouraged by our employees’ willingness to rise above the adversity and deliver a safe and controlled operation going forward,” Pen said in a statement.

“We continue to hold our view that the current strike serves no purpose other than to inflict maximum damage to our airline and the country.”

WesJet has cancelled 832 flights since Thursday, more than half of them scheduled for Sunday.

The airline said its 180-plane fleet had been reduced to 32 active aircraft as of Sunday.

WestJet and the AMFA have each accused the other side of not negotiating in good faith.

The AMFA has argued its sought-after wage increase would cost WestJet less than 8 million Canadian dollars ($5.8m) beyond what the company has offered for the first year of their contract.

WestJet has said it offered a 12.5 percent wage rise in the first year of the contract, and a compounded wage increase of 23.5 percent over the rest of the five-and-a-half-year term.

The stoppage, which has disrupted the plans of some 110,000 travellers, went ahead despite a directive from Canadian Minister of Labour Seamus O’Regan on Thursday calling for a binding arbitration to settle the dispute.

In June, union members voted 97.25 percent to reject a tentative pay deal reached with WestJet.

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2024-07-01 05:00:13Z
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WestJet flight cancellations hit tens of thousands of travelers - The Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) — A strike by plane mechanics forced Canada’s second largest airline, WestJet, to cancel hundreds more flights Sunday, upending plans of roughly 110,000 travelers over the Canada Day long weekend and prompting the carrier to demand action from the federal government.

Some 680 workers, whose daily inspections and repairs are essential to airline operations, walked off the job Friday evening despite a directive for binding arbitration from the labor minister.

“WestJet is in receipt of a binding arbitration order and awaits urgent clarity from the government that a strike and arbitration cannot exist simultaneously; this is something they have committed to address and like all Canadians we are waiting,” WestJet Airlines President Diederik Pen said in a statement Sunday.

Since Thursday, WestJet has cancelled 829 flights scheduled to fly between then and Monday — the busiest travel weekend of the season.

The vast majority of Sunday’s trips were called off as WestJet pared down its 180-plane fleet to 32 active aircraft and topped the global list for cancellations among major airlines over the weekend.

Trevor Temple-Murray was one of thousands of customers scrambling to rebook after their trips were scrapped less than a day in advance.

“We’ll just have to wait it out,” said Temple-Murray, a resident of Lethbridge, Alberta, who waited in a car with his wife and 2-year-old son in the parking lot of the Victoria, British Columbia, airport. They were trying to get a plane to Calgary.

Their 6:05 p.m. flight had been cancelled, and they wouldn’t know until the evening whether a scheduled 7 a.m. flight the next day would go ahead.

“There are a lot of angry people in there,” Temple-Murray said, pointing at the terminal.

Nearby, Grade 10 exchange student Marina Cebrian said she was supposed to be back home in Spain early Sunday, but now won’t return to her family until Tuesday after enduring three flight cancellations.

“It’s distressing,” she said. “I was supposed to be at home today, like seven hours ago, but I’m not.”

Both WestJet and the Airplane Mechanics Fraternal Association have accused the other side of refusing to negotiate in good faith.

The union’s goal remains a deal hammered out through bargaining rather than by an arbitrator — a route it opposed from the start.

The union says its demands around wages would cost WestJet less than $8 million Canadian (US$5.6 million) beyond what the company has offered for the first year of the collective agreement — the first contract between the two sides. It has acknowledged the gains would surpass compensation for industry colleagues across Canada and sit more on par with U.S. counterparts.

WestJet says it has offered a 12.5% wage hike in the first year of the contract, and a compounded wage increase of 23.5% over the rest of the 5 1/2-year term.

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2024-06-30 22:50:00Z
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WestJet strike: More flight cancellations over the long weekend - CP24

WestJet has cancelled nearly 700 flights, upending plans for close to 100,000 passengers as an unexpected strike by plane mechanics entered its third day Sunday on the busiest travel weekend of the season.

The 680-odd workers, whose daily inspections and repairs are essential to airline operations, walked off the job on Friday evening despite a directive for binding arbitration from the federal labour minister.

Since Thursday, tracking service FlightAware shows WestJet has cancelled 687 flights scheduled to fly between then and the end of the Canada Day long weekend.

As of Sunday morning, 77 per cent of the day's trips had been called off, with WestJet topping the global list for cancellations among major airlines Saturday and Sunday.

Both the airline and the Airplane Mechanics Fraternal Association have accused the other side of refusing to negotiate in good faith.

WestJet Airlines president Diederik Pen has stressed what he calls the "continued reckless actions" of a union that was making "blatant efforts" to disrupt Canadians' travel plans, while the union claimed the Calgary-based company has refused to respond to its latest counterproposal. In an update to members Sunday, it said members were "the victim of WestJet’s virulent PR campaign that you are scofflaws," citing "calumnies" against workers around their right to strike.

The job action comes after union members voted overwhelmingly to reject a tentative deal from WestJet earlier this month and following two weeks of tense negotiations between the two parties.

As the clock ticked down toward a Friday strike deadline, the impasse prompted Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan to step in, mandating that WestJet and the union undertake binding arbitration headed by the country's labour tribunal.

That process typically sidesteps a work stoppage. WestJet certainly thought so, stating the union had "confirmed they will abide by the direction."

"Given this, a strike or lockout will not occur, and the airline will no longer proceed in cancelling flights," the airline said Thursday.

The mechanics took a different view. The union negotiating committee said it would "comply with the minister’s order and directs its members to refrain from any unlawful job action." Fewer than 24 hours later, workers were on the picket line.

A decision from the Canada Industrial Relations Board on Thursday seemed to affirm the legality of their actions, regardless of typical protocols around arbitration.

"The board finds that the ministerial referral does not have the effect of suspending the right to strike or lockout," the tribunal wrote.

The labour minister said Saturday that the board's ruling was "clearly inconsistent" with the direction he provided, but O'Regan later added that he respected the body's independence.

Both parties were set to meet Sunday morning, the union said.

Not everyone was vexed by the weekend's labour turbulence.

"We are seeing a huge surge in bookings, presumably from passengers scrambling to save their long weekends," said Flair Airlines spokeswoman Kim Bowie.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2024.

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2024-06-30 16:00:02Z
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Canada airline WestJet cancels more than 400 flights after a surprise strike by mechanics union - The Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) — Canada’s second largest airline, WestJet, said it canceled 407 flights affecting 49,000 passengers after the maintenance workers union announced it went on strike.

The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association said its members started to strike Friday evening because the airline’s “unwillingness to negotiate with the union” made it inevitable.

The surprise strike affecting international and domestic flights came after the federal government issued a ministerial order for binding arbitration on Thursday. That followed two weeks of turbulent discussions with the union on a new deal.

WestJet said it will continue to park aircraft through Sunday for the long weekend culminating in Canada Day on Monday. The airline has about 200 aircraft and says they’ll operate approximately 30 by Sunday evening.

The airline’s CEO, Alexis von Hoensbroech, put the blame for the situation squarely on what he said was a “rogue union from the U.S.” that was trying to make inroads in Canada.

Von Hoensbroech said that, as far as the airline was concerned, bargaining with the union had come to an end once the government directed the dispute to binding arbitration.

“This makes a strike totally absurd because the reason you actually do a strike is because you need to exercise pressure on the bargaining table,” he said. “If there is no bargaining table it makes no sense, there shouldn’t be a strike.”

He added the union had rejected a contract offer that would have made the airline’s mechanics the “best-paid in the country.”

In an update to its membership, the union negotiating committee referenced an order by the Canada Industrial Relations Board that does not explicitly bar any strikes or lockouts as the tribunal undertakes arbitration.

Sean McVeigh, a WestJet aircraft maintenance engineer picketing Saturday at Toronto Pearson International Airport Terminal 3, said the strike is an attempt to force the airline to return to a “respectful negotiation.”

McVeigh said the union regrets any inconvenience caused to passengers.

“However, the reason they (passengers) have possibly missed a flight or had to cancel is due to the reason that WestJet is not respectfully sitting down at the table and negotiating,” he said alongside roughly 20 others on the picket line.

“We take on a lot of responsibility and we would just like to be appreciated financially,” he said.

At Pearson, WestJet passengers Samin Sahan and Samee Jan said they had been planning to leave Saturday with extended family members on a trip to Calgary that had been planned for six to eight months.

Sahan said they had received emails earlier in the day telling them their flight had been rescheduled for Monday, but they went to the terminal anyway. He said their efforts to seek clarification combined with the strike had left their travel plans up in the air.

“This inaction is hurting a lot of people, their own company as well as their customers who will likely no longer be their customers ever again,” Sahan said.

Jan called the situation “sad.”

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2024-06-30 14:58:00Z
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Summer camp cost: Last-minute tips for parents - CTV News

It's a conundrum parents face every summer: What should their children do during their break?

Many turn to summer camps as a solution, to keep their children from getting too bored, and have adults look after them for part of the day, or even longer in the case of overnight camps.

But with the current cost of living, is it cheaper to take time off work or send kids to summer camp?

A 2019 survey from the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada found 31 per cent of Canadians "anticipate stress" when it comes to summer expenses.

Kelly Ho, a certified financial planner with DLD Financial Group in Vancouver, says summer camps is a common topic she discusses with clients.

"At the end of the day, it's going to be unique to each family situation, depending on what their take-home income is," Ho said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca. "So it's really no different than when parents are trying to decide whether it makes sense to put their child in daycare or not be in the workforce."

It also depends on whether parents or caregivers can and want to take eight weeks off work during their children's summer break, Ho said.

Search for affordable summer camps

Another factor is the type of camp parents and kids are interested in. Camps run by a city or not-for-profits can be more affordable than privately run camps that specialize in coding or cooking, for example, Ho said.

A one-week camp in Vancouver, which may be run by the city or subsidized by the government, could have an all-inclusive price of about $300 a week, while specialized camps may cost around $600 a week, though prices vary, she said.

"The cost range is quite vast," Ho said. "So what I encourage clients to do is to really plan a season ahead at all times so that the costs that are potentially on the table are not a surprise."

As a mother of two school-aged children, she said deciding to take time off work or send kids to camp depends on parents' income and budget.

"Budget accordingly to make sure that summer camps do not put any families in debt," Ho said.

School districts may offer complimentary summer school programs, while places like libraries might also hold free activities, she pointed out.

Ho said she starts researching summer camps for her children as soon as spring break is over. Affordable camps tend to fill up faster than pricier ones, while overnight camps can get fully booked a season in advance, she added.

"What's important is that parents and caregivers really do their research and not leave whether they should put their kids in camp to be a last-minute decision," she said.

For some parents, going away on vacation with their children may make more financial sense than sending them to summer camp, Ho said.

Last-minute tips

Even with summer break almost here, it's not too late for parents to find camps or somewhere children can do activities and be supervised by adults.

"It doesn't hurt to check in on the affordable solutions out there because oftentimes people do drop out last minute," she said. "So it really doesn't hurt to hit every single resource that you can think of, but it does take time."

Parents can talk to other parents at school and find out what they're doing with their children for the summer, set up play dates, or talk to family members, neighbours and friends about co-ordinating vacation times and looking after each other's kids, she explained.

"So that's when really as parents and caregivers we need to get creative if we don't have anything set up," she said. "So when our backs are up against the wall and we don't have enough vacation time to be able to take the entire summer off, that's when we have to start entrusting those in our community to see whether friends, family or neighbours are able to assist with child care."

Are there hidden costs?

As with any purchase, parents are encouraged to do their due diligence.

Ho said she finds camps run by a city or non-profit organization tend to provide all costs upfront.

"I think with the private ones, it's just (as) important to read the fine print ... making sure that there aren't any hidden costs associated because a lot of times the consent forms and the disclosures that we need to sign have a lot of writing in there."

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2024-06-30 11:07:43Z
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More flight cancellations over the long weekend due to strike: WestJet - CP24

A sudden strike by the WestJet mechanics union is forcing the airline to cancel more flights over the Canada Day long weekend, disrupting the plans of more than 49,000 travellers.

The Calgary-based airline has already cancelled a total of 407 flights over the weekend in an effort to "maintain stability."

Most of the flights were cancelled on Saturday, with 282 trips on WestJet planes being called off.

The travel disruptions come after the Airplane Mechanics Fraternal Association members walked off the job on Friday afternoon, stating WestJet's "unwillingness to negotiate with the union made the strike inevitable."

The job action comes after union members rejected a deal from WestJet earlier this month and after two weeks of tense negotiations between the two parties, which resulted in the federal government stepping in and mandating WestJet and the union go to binding arbitration.

AMFA leadership posted a letter from the Canada Industrial Relations Board regarding its decision in which it said that the ministerial referral “does not have the effect of suspending the right to strike or lockout.”

WestJet says it's "extremely outraged at these actions and will hold AMFA 100 per cent accountable for the unnecessary stress and costs incurred as a result."

Federal Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan, who said the order from the Canada Industrial Relations Board was "clearly inconsistent" with the direction he provided, weighed in again on Saturday, telling both parties to work together with the board to get a deal done.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2024.

- with files from Christopher Reynolds in Montréal

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2024-06-30 10:58:35Z
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Ottawa is to blame for the disastrous Westjet strike - Calgary Herald

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Author of the article:

Don Braid  •  Calgary Herald

Published Jun 29, 2024  •  Last updated 52 minutes ago  •  3 minute read

WestJet Boeing 737 aircraft are parked at Calgary International Airport on Wednesday, June 26. The airline's mechanics walked off the job Friday night in a surprise strike call. Gavin Young/Postmedia

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Thousands of Canadian travellers face a spectacular mess created by the dysfunction, ineptitude and plain stupidity of a Liberal minister and agency.

WestJet had cancelled 410 flights by Saturday evening. This happens over the Canada Day long weekend, one of the busiest travel times, after mechanics suddenly went on strike Friday night.

Many will blame the workers and their Airline Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA). They shouldn’t. Responsibility for this disaster lies squarely at Ottawa’s feet.

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Nobody was expecting the walkout — including WestJet — after federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan ordered binding arbitration on Thursday.

WestJet breathed a deep sigh of relief.

The airline said the mechanics “confirmed they will abide by the direction. Given this, a strike or lockout will not occur, and the airline will no longer proceed in cancelling flights.”

Happy travellers started packing their bags for weekend flights. WestJet began to stand down from strike preparation.

Then the Canada Industrial Relations Board stepped in, and virtually invited the mechanics to go on strike.

The board enabled the binding arbitration ordered by O’Regan but then added: “ministerial referral does not have the effect of suspending the right to strike or lockout.”

You’d think the minister would know this. But he appeared as shocked as anyone when the mechanics exercised their newly-endorsed right.

They did what any union — or employer — will do in such an acrimonious dispute. They grabbed the advantage handed to them. This one came gift-wrapped from a bumbling minister, via one of the Liberals’ inexplicable agencies.

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O’Regan said with typical crisis smarminess: “I am reviewing the Board’s decision, which is clearly inconsistent with my direction to the board.

“I will be looking at additional steps to protect the interests of the employer, the union and all Canadians travelling over this national holiday weekend.”

Too late. For tens of thousand of travellers, the weekend is already ruined.

On Thursday, O’Regan had said nothing about a strike. He only talked about how he was leading WestJet and the mechanics to eternal harmony.

“As minister of labour, I am using my authorities under the Canada Labour Code to further the goals of last week’s Section 80 referral to help the parties reach their first collective agreement,” he posted on Twitter.

“I have directed the CIRB to impose final binding arbitration to resolve outstanding terms of the collective agreement.”

O’Regan said this would bring the parties one step closer to successive agreements “reached at the bargaining table.”

The minister obviously didn’t believe — or even know — that binding arbitration alone would not prevent a strike, or that the CIRB would make a big point of saying one would be allowed.

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The consequence is chaos for travellers and a serious challenge for a Calgary-based airline still recovering from pandemic damage.

The airline is beyond furious with the mechanics association. “The scale of this deliberate disruption is devastating and AMFA must be held accountable for their reckless actions,” it said in a statement.

Everybody wants this to end quickly. And yet, as one regular flier said, “you also don’t want unhappy airplane mechanics.”

By later Saturday, O’Regan had talked to the warring parties. He said on Twitter:

“Met with Westjet and AMFA this evening. I told them they needed to work together with the Canada Industrial Relations Board to resolve their differences and get their first agreement.

“There’s a lot at stake here. Canadians need this resolved.”

He says nothing about his earlier remark that the CIRB decision was “clearly inconsistent with my direction.”

Once again, the Liberals show they’re hopelessly inept at delivering basic functions of government.

In trying to avert a strike, they helped cause one. It doesn’t get dumber than that.

Don Braid’s column appears regularly in the Herald

X: @DonBraid

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2024-06-30 00:45:27Z
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Rail workers at CN and CPKC vote to reauthorize strike at railways, says Teamsters - CTV News

Union members at CN and CPKC railways have voted to reauthorize strikes at both companies if negotiated settlements can't be reached, raising the threat of supply chain disruptions across Canada.

Teamsters Canada said in a statement Saturday that union members at both railways voted almost 99 per cent in favour of reauthorized strike action.

The union said members previously voted in favour of strike action on May 1, but the 60-day time limit on the vote expired.

It said that meant it had to take the "unusual step" of holding a second strike vote.

CN spokesman Jonathan Abecassis said Saturday the company does not want a situation to occur that holds "Canadian supply chains hostage."

"Our position is that we want the union to come back to the table," Abecassis said in an interview. "We are asking the union to accept binding arbitration. It is not favourable to one or the other of the parties. It is favourable to getting a deal done."

CPKC spokesman Terry Cunha said the company issued a statement Friday and would not be making further comment Saturday.

The Friday update on the company's website said the railway was awaiting a decision from the Canada Industrial Relations Board regarding the federal labour minister's referral on maintenance of activities during a strike or lockout.

"We know our supply chain stakeholders want certainty regarding expected timing of a CIRB decision and potential work stoppage, however, it remains unclear when the CIRB will issue a decision," said the statement.

It said it is unlikely the company or union would be in a legal position to initiate a strike or lockout before mid-July or later, and 72-hours strike or lockout notice must be provided.

The company also said it requested the CIRB extend a cooling-off period for 30 days after the date of its maintenance activities decision.

"This would help provide stability and predictability regarding the timelines for a potential work stoppage and allow all stakeholders to plan for such an eventuality," said the company statement.

Paul Boucher, the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference president, said the union wants to go back to the bargaining table with its renewed strike mandate and work with federal government mediators.

The union said the rail companies are looking for concessions on crew schedules, work hours and fatigue management.

"CN and CPKC are trying to force changes to our collective agreements that would move the clock back on working conditions and rail safety," said Boucher. "The Teamsters are trying to stop them."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 29, 2024. 

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2024-06-29 22:18:45Z
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'A big blowout in the square': Canada Day celebrations beyond the country's borders - CityNews Toronto

As Canadians celebrate the country’s 157th birthday this weekend, one of the biggest parties will take place across the Atlantic Ocean. 

The annual Canada Day bash at London’s Trafalgar Square – home to diplomatic outpost Canada House – drew more than 30,000 people last year and organizers say even more are expected at Sunday’s daylong party.

The event, organized by the non-profit Celebrate Canada Worldwide, will feature some notable names in Canadian music, Canadian-themed food and NHL’s travelling hockey fest. Ontario indie rock band Tokyo Police Club and Newfoundland musician Alan Doyle, the founding member of Great Big Sea, will be capping off the day with live performances.

Tokyo Police Club keyboardist Graham Wright expects those in attendance will be more focused on the music compared to Canada Day events at home.

“We’ve done some Canada Day or Canada Day-adjacent stuff here and you often get a lot of folks wandering around in Ottawa or whatever, just taking in the activities and you’re sort of co-headlining with the air show,” Wright says.

“It seems to me that because it’s farther away from Canada, you’re going to get people who are maybe more stoked on the band than on the waving a little paper flag aspect of things.”

The band recently kicked off their final tour, and this performance will mark their last European show.

“A big blowout in the square is as good a way to go out as any,” Wright says.

Doyle, who has performed at Canada Day concerts in Ottawa, says he always wanted to be part of the celebration in London and he was delighted to finally get that chance.

“It’s going to be the greatest kitchen party in the history of the U.K., simple as that,” he says, adding that his style of Celtic music is especially well-received across the pond.

Canada Day at Trafalgar Square may be one of the most high-profile expat parties, but it’s not the only one. Statistics Canada estimates that more than four million Canadian citizens were living abroad in 2016, with the biggest expat community in the United States, followed by the U.K. and Australia. 

Canada Day celebrations south of the border will include a party in Los Angeles on Sunday, hosted by non-profit organization Canadians Abroad and sponsored by the local Canadian consulate.

The event will feature Canadian menu staples such as Caesars and poutine, along with a DJ playing the Tragically Hip, Justin Bieber and The Weeknd. Up to 300 people are expected to attend, but Canadians Abroad chairman David Ivkovic says a smaller crowd doesn’t mean less enthusiasm for the occasion.

“It’s just another day down here so we try and make the best of it,” he said.

Another celebration is planned south of L.A. in Orange County, Calif., where the Canadian Expats organization is expecting 200 people to gather in a park. 

Organization co-founder Robert Kelle says it’s especially important for Canadians in the U.S. to celebrate the holiday.  

“What we typically find is that those people who first get here are maybe a little bit more susceptible to detaching themselves from their Canadian roots,” Kelle says.

“It takes a few years of people … living here before they start to remember that there is a difference in our cultures and that it’s nice to have that connection to home.”

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2024-06-29 12:14:00Z
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WestJet mechanics striking despite federal intervention - Calgary Herald

WestJet said in a statement that it is 'outraged' and severe travel disruption should be expected if the strike isn't called off immediately

Published Jun 28, 2024  •  Last updated 5 hours ago  •  3 minute read

A WestJet technical operations employee does some maintenance work on a Boeing 737 engine at the Calgary International Airport on Wednesday June 26, 2024. Gavin Young/Postmedia

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WestJet mechanics went on strike Friday evening after weeks of contentious negotiations, defying the federal government’s intervention which put the airline and plane mechanics into binding arbitration.

WestJet said in a Friday statement the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) had notified it that the union began strike action on Friday at 5:30 p.m.

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The Calgary-based airline said it expects “severe” travel disruptions if the strike isn’t called off immediately, saying a methodical network takedown can no longer happen.

The strike comes at the beginning of a busy Canada Day long weekend, kicking off the summer travel season.

“Given arbitration has been ordered, a strike has no leverage on the arbitration’s outcome, so it is pure retaliation of a disappointed union,” said Diedrik Pen, president of WestJet.

“We are extremely outraged at these actions and will hold AMFA 100 per cent accountable for the unnecessary stress and costs incurred as a result.” 

WestJet is asking travellers to check the status of their flight this weekend before leaving for the airport.

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AMFA said employees are eager to return to work but “the timeline for that is very much in the hands of WestJet Management.”

“The (aircraft maintenance engineers) were hopeful this action would be unnecessary but the airline’s unwillingness to negotiate with the union made the strike inevitable,” AMFA wrote in its statement. It said the union is in dialogue with the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) and WestJet to resolve the impasse.

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In an update to members obtained by The Canadian Press, the union negotiating committee cited the Charter of Rights and Freedoms’ protection of collective action.

It also said the industrial relations board had not expressly barred strikes and lockouts while the tribunal undertook arbitration following Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan’s directive.

“Because the referral by the minister was silent on the issue, AMFA members’ constitutional right to strike must prevail,” the union committee claimed.

“Having had no indication that the board would revoke AMFA’s strike notice, AMFA directed its members to cease all work.”

The federal government on Thursday directed the two parties into binding arbitration to resolve their dispute, a move that appeared all but certain to avoid a work stoppage that could disrupt flights for hundreds of thousands of travellers.

In a late-Thursday social media post, O’Regan said he was invoking his authority under the Canada Labour Code to resolve the impasse between the two sides as the clock ticked down toward a Friday evening deadline.

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Collective bargaining brings stability and certainty to business, unions and our whole economy. But, to get there, you need a strong first agreement.

My statement on the collective bargaining negotiations between WestJet and AMFA: pic.twitter.com/ngAjB8OE7Q

— Seamus O'Regan Jr (@SeamusORegan) June 27, 2024

WestJet has requested intervention from O’Regan and the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB).

The CIRB could opt not to suspend the right to a work stoppage as it hammers out a contract, but precedent suggests that outcome is unlikely.

The AMFA first served the carrier with a 72-hour strike notice June 17, prompting WestJet to cancel nearly 50 flights last week before both sides agreed to resume negotiations. The second strike notice came Tuesday amid tense negotiations over a first collective agreement between WestJet and some 680 maintenance engineers.

Union members voted overwhelmingly to reject a tentative deal earlier this month and opposed WestJet’s request for intervention by the country’s labour tribunal — a submission that triggered the union’s initial strike threat.

— Files from The Canadian Press

mscace@postmedia.com
X: @mattscace67

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This Week in Flyers

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2024-06-29 03:00:00Z
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WestJet warns of travel disruption as mechanics union opts to 'continue with strike action' - CTV News Calgary

WestJet says it is "outraged" after its airline maintenance engineers went ahead with their previously threatened strike on Friday evening.

The airline maintenance engineers (AMEs) say there was nothing stopping them.

The federal government had previously ordered binding arbitration but the AMEs' union rep Ian Evershed told CTV News, "That doesn't deter us or prevent us from exercising our right to strike at this time."

Evershed said, "In the minister's letter, there's no indication as to direction on the topic of strike or lockout."

WestJet issued a release on Friday evening:

"The only reason for this union to continue with a strike action is to create damage, disrupt the travel plans of thousands of Canadians over the July long weekend and to inflict significant costs on our business," said Diederik Pen, WestJet Airlines president.

"Given arbitration has been ordered, a strike has no leverage on the arbitration's outcome, so it is pure retaliation of a disappointed union. We are extremely outraged at these actions and will hold (the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association) 100 per cent accountable for the unnecessary stress and costs incurred as a result."

In WestJet's release, the airline said the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) "commenced strike action" Friday at 5:30 p.m. MT.

The AMFA confirmed that:

"The union remains engaged in dialogue with the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) and the airline to resolve this impasse. The AMEs were hopeful this action would be unnecessary but the airline's unwillingness to negotiate with the union made the strike inevitable," the union said.

"While the AMEs and their union are eager to get back to work, the timeline for that is very much in the hands of WestJet management."

Evershed told CTV News it is "absolutely not the intention of the union to try and disrupt Canadians' travel plans or leave people stranded."

Evershed said he wants to see a resolution, and "the parties are really not that far apart from each other. ... We're less than 10 per cent apart from each other."

But getting there is important, he said.

"We're the silent safety gatekeeper in the background," he said.

"People go to the airport every day. Thousands of people arrive at the airport (and) they see the pilot, they see the flight attendants, they come and they sit down in that aircraft and they feel safe. They're happy and they're on their way. No one thinks about the aircraft maintenance engineer.

"You don't want to. You don't want to think about the things that need to be done to keep that airplane safe and fit for flight."

In a release issued Friday evening, the AMFA said it and WestJet appeared earlier in the day "before the Canada Industrial Relations Board to address the referral by the minister of labour pursuant to section 107 of the Canada Labour Code."

"The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees employees' fundamental right to strike. AMFA counsel argued that because the referral by the minister was silent on the issue, AMFA members' constitutional right to strike must prevail," the release said.

"The parties continued to discuss the arbitration process under section 107, both together and in separate breakout rooms. Time ticked toward the 7:30 p.m. Eastern strike deadline.

"At 7:30 p.m. Eastern, having had no indication that the board would revoke AMFA's strike notice, AMFA directed its members to cease all work."

The AMFA release went on to say that half an hour later, "the board reconvened the parties and confirmed that it would not enjoin the AMFA strike."

"AMFA's bargaining committee is standing by to continue discussions with the company," the release said.

A CIRB document given to CTV News confirmed the board "finds that the ministerial referral does not have the effect of suspending the right to strike or lockout."

WestJet said it is "actively and aggressively pursuing every avenue to minimize disruption, including asking for immediate intervention by the minister of labour and the Canada Industrial Relations Board."

"Severe travel disruption is to be expected if the strike is not called off immediately," the airline said.

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2024-06-29 01:32:00Z
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WestJet mechanics strike one day after federal labour minister imposes binding arbitration - CBC.ca

WestJet mechanics have gone on strike one day after Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to impose final binding arbitration to resolve the outstanding issues of the collective agreement between the airline and the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA).

In a statement Friday, AMFA said WestJet mechanics went ahead with strike action against the company, but the union remains engaged in dialogue with the CIRB to resolve the impasse.

"The AME's were hopeful this action would be unnecessary but the airline's unwillingness to negotiate with the union made the strike," the statement reads.

In a statement Thursday, AMFA said there is no modern precedent for the minister's action. However, the union said it will comply with the order and directed its members to avoid any unlawful job action.

O'Regan  previously referred WestJet and AMFA to the CIRB on June 18, but the two sides were unable to reach an agreement.

WestJet responded to AMFA going ahead with a strike on Friday, saying it is "outraged" with the move.

"The government has officially stepped in to provide binding arbitration and ensure we get to a resolution; the only reason for this union to continue with a strike action is to create damage, disrupt the travel plans of thousands of Canadians over the July long weekend and to inflict significant costs on our business," said company president Diederik Pen in a statement.

"Given arbitration has been ordered, a strike has no leverage on the arbitration's outcome, so it is pure retaliation of a disappointed union."

The Calgary-based carrier began to cancel flights ahead of a potential strike prior to the minister's order. Roughly 25 trips scheduled for Thursday and Friday were called off in anticipation of possible job action by AMFA.

More to come

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Here's what is open and closed on Monday - Tbnewswatch.com

THUNDER BAY – All of Thunder Bay’s Walmart stores will be closed on Monday for Canada Day. 

Metro and Safeway locations will also be closed. 

The Shoppers Drug Mart in the McIntyre Centre at 1186 Memorial Ave. will remain open on Canada Day, since that store is open 24 hours per day. 

Skafs Just Basics grocery and merchandise store at 470 Hodder Ave. will be open 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Canada Day

LCBO locations in Thunder Bay will be closed for the holiday. 

Beer Store locations will also be closed except for the 212 N. Cumberland St. location, which will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday. 

If you're looking for something fun to do on Canada Day, read this story. 
 

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2024-06-28 23:57:17Z
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Oil up ahead of US inflation data, set for third weekly gain By Reuters - Investing.com

By Arunima Kumar

BENGALURU (Reuters) -Oil prices rose on Friday and were on course for a third straight weekly jump buoyed by growing expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will soon start cutting interest rates and U.S. inflation data due later in the day.

futures for August settlement , which expire on Friday, were up 54 cents, or 0.63% to $86.93 a barrel by 0845 GMT. The more liquid September Brent contract was up 0.7% at $85.87 a barrel.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures for August delivery rose 61 cents, or 0.75%, to $82.35 a barrel.

Brent and WTI futures have gained nearly 2% this week, with both benchmarks on track for gains of slightly more than 6% month on month.

U.S. personal consumption inflation data, the Fed's preferred measure of inflation, is due to be released at 1230 GMT.

"With the rates market looking for two rate cuts from the Fed by the end of this year, the price data will serve as validation for whether expectations are being overly dovish," said Yeap Jun Rong, a market strategist with IG.

Growing expectations of an imminent Fed easing cycle have sparked a risk rally across stock markets. Traders are now pricing in a 64% chance of a first Fed cut in September, up from 50% a month ago, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

Easing interest rates could be a boon for oil as it could increase demand from consumers.

A recovery in physical refining margins also buoyed markets, with the Singapore complex refining margins on average $1 higher in June than in May at around $3.60 a barrel.

Capping gains was caution regarding fluctuations in the U.S. dollar, which is at a two-month high, and political uncertainty in France.

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2024-06-28 06:00:47Z
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Oil rises on positive economic outlooks; poised for third weekly gain By Reuters - Investing.com

By Shariq Khan and Trixie Yap

(Reuters) -Oil prices rose in Asian trade on Friday and were poised for a third straight weekly jump, buoyed by growing expectations that the U.S. central bank will soon start to cut interest rates.

futures for August settlement, which expire on Friday, rose 41 cents, or 0.47% to $86.80 a barrel by 0439 GMT. The Brent contract for September was up 0.5% at $85.69 a barrel.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures for August delivery rose 50 cents, or 0.61%, to $82.24 a barrel.

Brent and WTI futures have gained nearly 2% so far this week, with both benchmarks also on track for gains of slightly more than 6% month on month - erasing losses earlier in May.

"Crude oil edged higher despite weak near-term fundamentals," said ANZ analysts, referring to unexpected gains in inventories despite expectations of a drawdown during the summer peak demand.

"... prices gained amid a risk-on tone across broader market ... triggered by data that signalled further U.S. labour market weakness," they added in a client note.

Growing expectations of an imminent Fed easing cycle have sparked a risk rally across stock markets. Traders are now pricing in a 64% chance of a first Fed cut in September, up from 50% a month ago, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

Easing interest rates could be a boon for oil as it could increase demand from consumers.

The U.S. personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, a key measure for inflation by the Fed, is due at 1230 GMT and could provide further clues on the interest rate cut timeline this year.

Oil supplies have also come under pressure from weather-related disruptions which could worsen in the coming weeks. Heavy rains have caused Ecuador's production to decline by 100,000 barrels a day over the past week, FGE Energy said on Friday.

The U.S. Gulf Coast, home to the bulk of the country's energy and export infrastructure, could also be hit by adverse weather in coming days with the U.S. National Hurricane Center tracking at least one weather system that could become a cyclone and headed towards the region.

A recovery in physical refining margins also buoyed markets, with the Singapore complex refining margins averaging $1 higher in June at around $3.60 a barrel from May.

"Recent improvement in light distillate cracks has improved complex refining margins in Asia ... Heading to 3Q, we expect refining margins to remain around current levels. We expect gasoline to continue rising through to August, though this will be offset by diesel cracks, which are expected to ease amid lengthening East of Suez balances," said Ivan Mathews, head of Asia refining at FGE.

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