TORONTO (AP) — Canada’s second-largest airline, WestJetsaid Sunday it had canceled more than 800 flights affecting tens of thousands of passengers as a surprise strike by aircraft mechanics entered its third day.
About 680 workers, whose daily inspections and repairs are essential to airline operations, walked off the job Friday night, despite a directive for binding arbitration from the federal labor minister.
The strike comes during the long Canada Day weekend, the country’s busiest travel week of the year.
Both the airline and the Airplane Mechanics Fraternal Association have accused the other side of refusing in good faith.
Diederik Pen, the president of WestJet Airlines, highlighted what he called the “continued reckless actions” of a union making “blatant attempts” to disrupt Canadians’ travel plans, while the association alleged the Calgary-Alberta-based company has refused to respond to the latest counterproposal.
An update to members on Sunday said mechanics were “victims of WestJet’s virulent PR campaign that you are scoffers”, citing ‘defamatory statements’ made against workers about their right to strike.
The action comes after union members voted overwhelmingly in mid-June to reject a tentative agreement with WestJet and after two weeks of tense talks between the two sides.
As the clock ticked toward a strike deadline on Friday, the standoff prompted Labor Minister Seamus O’Regan to intervene, committing WestJet and the union to binding arbitration led by the country’s labor tribunal.
That process usually avoids a work stoppage. WestJet certainly thought so, saying the union had “confirmed that they will abide by the directive.”
“Given this fact, there will be no strike or lockout and the airline will no longer cancel flights,” the airline said on Thursday.
The mechanics thought otherwise. The union’s negotiating committee said it would “comply with the minister’s order and direct its members to refrain from any unlawful job action.” Less than 24 hours later, workers were on the picket lines.
