Release #: WEN 24.07
May 10, 2024

WestJet Encore Pilots Send Strong Message to Management by Voting Down Contract

CALGARY, ALB.—WestJet Encore pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), have rejected the Tentative Agreement presented to them last month. The pilots were underwhelmed by the WestJet Group’s attempts at using compensation to gloss over many of the core structural issues of the operation.

Of the 92 percent of eligible pilots who cast ballots, 53 percent voted against the agreement. This result reiterates that there is a deep-seated feeling that management fails to recognize the pilots’ needs beyond matters tied to compensation.

“Despite contract improvements to compensation and scheduling, our pilots held strong in their belief that management isn’t doing enough to address the ongoing pilot attraction and retention issues and low morale that remain at our airline,” said Capt. Carin Kenny, chair of the WestJet Encore ALPA Master Executive Council. “In the wake of this vote, we are hopeful management finally understands that more must done to address the issues that clearly remain for our pilots.”

“I want to thank our members for taking the time to vote. I would also like to thank our Negotiating Committee and Master Executive Council for all of their hard work up to this point,” continued Kenny. “We will now regroup and prepare for the next steps over the coming days to establish protocols for addressing our pilot group priorities going forward.”

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 77,000 pilots at 41 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit ALPA.org or follow us on Twitter @ALPAPilots.

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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org