Release #: PAL 22.04
April 07, 2022

PAL Airlines Pilots Congratulate Flight Attendants on New Collective Agreement

St. John’s, N.L.—PAL Airlines pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), today congratulated CUPE 5451 on securing a new collective agreement for the approximately 50 flight attendants who work for the airline in St. John’s, Halifax, and Montréal.

“We are pleased for our colleagues at CUPE 5451. However, we want to send a strong message to management at PAL and our parent company, Exchange Income Corporation [EIC], that we remain unified in our commitment to reach a fair contract of our own,” said PAL pilot group spokesperson Capt. Wanda Clarke. “For more than two years we have negotiated in good faith; unfortunately, PAL executives and those within EIC continue to ignore the contributions our pilots bring to the success of our airline and our community.”

Contract talks began in January 2020. Since then, throughout the pandemic, PAL pilots have made every effort to ensure the long-term success and viability of their airline. Yet PAL Airlines and EIC management continue to assert that their pilots should be paid less than the rate of pay for pilots across the rest of Canada, even compared to sister airlines at other EIC properties.

Last month, PAL pilots were joined by fellow ALPA pilots at an informational picket in St. John’s that sent a strong message to PAL management, EIC, and other stakeholders that the pilots remain committed to reaching a fair contract.

PAL pilots will meet with representatives of the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) next week in an attempt to resolve an ongoing dispute over the issue of providing essential services during a potential work stoppage. After the pilots provided management with a list of essential flights they were willing to continue operating in the event of a strike, corporate executives heavy-handedly pressured government officials to increase further delays to conclude bargaining by referring the matter to the CIRB.

“No one is more committed to our community and ensuring safe air transportation to our fellow citizens than PAL pilots. Even in the face of threats from PAL executives, ALPA is committed to negotiating a fair collective agreement that represents what our pilots bring to the success of our airline and our community,” added Clarke.

PAL Airlines employs more than 160 pilots, represented by ALPA since June 19, 2019.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 62,000 pilots at 38 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit the ALPA website at alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @ALPAPilots.

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