Release #: 20.19
July 10, 2020

ALPA Canada Congratulates PAL Airlines Dispatchers on Seeking to Join CALDA

OTTAWA, ONT —ALPA Canada, a division of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) issued the following statement today after St. John’s-based dispatchers at PAL Airlines filed membership cards with the Canada Industrial Relations Board securing a voice for their future through representation with the Canadian Airline Dispatchers Association (CALDA):

“On behalf of the more than 5,500 airline pilots of ALPA Canada, we congratulate our colleagues for taking action to secure a voice for their future through representation with CALDA.

“While this is a positive step forward for the dispatchers, it comes at a time when the remaining 54 nonunionized pilots at PAL Aerospace battle for their rights to organize in the face of union-busting tactics deployed by PAL Aerospace management. As a result, ALPA filed an unfair labour practice complaint against PAL Aerospace and parent company Exchange Income Corporation [EIC].

“We hope PAL’s dispatchers ultimately certify under CALDA and are able to have a real seat at the table to protect their job security and bring order to the challenging environment we see at PAL Airlines. The time has come for PAL’s senior management and EIC to stop putting profits over pilots and the other employees who work so diligently to successfully maintain operations at their carriers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

PAL Airlines also employs more than 100 pilots, represented by ALPA since June 19, 2019.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilot union, representing more than 63,000 pilots at 34 airlines in Canada and the United States, including Canadian carriers Air Borealis, Air Georgian, Air Transat, Bearskin, Calm Air, Canadian North, First Air, Jazz Aviation, Kelowna Flightcraft, Morningstar Air Express, PAL Airlines, Sky Regional, Wasaya, WestJet, and WestJet Encore. Visit ALPA at www.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.

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