June 24, 2016

First Air Pilots Ratify New Contract

On June 24, First Air pilots voted in favour of ratifying a new, four-year collective agreement. Of the approximately 86 percent of pilots voting in the ballot, 79 percent voted in favour of the agreement.

“This universal agreement truly equalizes all of the pilots of First Air, across all of our bases, with many benefits for the entire membership,” said the First Air Master Executive Council and Negotiating Committee members. “It represents the culmination of sustained effort on behalf of our membership.”

On May 11, First Air pilots reached a tentative agreement with management on a four-year contract with First Air regarding the revised new global agreement. The First Air Negotiating Committee spent more than five months preparing for and engaging in negotiations, with participation from ALPA professional staff and subject-matter experts.

The new collective agreement takes effect immediately.

First Air’s 122 pilots operate a fleet of four B-737-200s (two combi, two passenger), three B-737-400s (two combi, one passenger), and 10 ATR 42s in Ottawa, Ont.; Yellowknife, N.W.T.; Iqaluit, N.U.; and Edmonton, Alb.

Headquartered in Kanata, Ont., First Air pilots fly scheduled and chartered passenger and cargo operations, with more than 225,000 passengers and 25 million kilograms of cargo transported annually.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents over 53,000 pilots at 31 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.

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