ACTA urges Air Canada, pilots to negotiate and ‘come to a resolution’
ACTA is calling on Air Canada, the union representing its pilots and the federal government to “work really hard” in resolving issues that could lead to an imminent strike by Air Canada pilots.
ACTA president Wendy Paradis told those attending Thursday’s 2024 Eastern Canada Travel Industry Summit in Toronto that ACTA has joined with other weighty tourism bodies in urging all parties involved to work towards an agreement that would ward off a labor disruption that many economists are warning would be hugely damaging to the national economy.
The travel industry is among industries that would be particularly vulnerable to job action by the pilots.
Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge presently operate close to 670 daily flights on average and carry more than 110,000 passengers within Canada or internationally. Air Canada flights bring about 24,000 Canadians back home from abroad and return about 15,000 foreigners visiting Canada to their home country every day.
A pilots’ strike could begin in days.
First Officer Charlene Hudy, Air Canada Master Executive Council Chair, ALPA, told Travel Press Today that: “We continue to meet with Air Canada today in an effort to reach a new contract at the negotiating table, and avoid legal job action and the effects of that on our passengers.”
During yesterday’s (Sept. 12) ACTA Summit, Paradis said: “Our message is negotiate, and come to a resolution.”
Paradis did praise Air Canada for informing ACTA about where things stand regarding its pilots, adding updates can be found on its travel agent portal.
“There are a lot of potential labor disruptions all over the world. It’s really important that we’re prepared,” Paradis told her audience.
Strikes leading to transportation disruptions are particularly stressful for agents, she continued.
Among other organizations urging a quick resolution to the dispute between Air Canada and its pilots are the Tourism Industry Association of Canada and the Hotel Association of Canada.
Shortly after Paradis’ call for both parties in the dispute to continue to negotiate and seek a resolution, Air Canada issued a statement saying that if those talks fail, “a government direction for binding arbitration will be necessary to avoid a major disruption of air travel.”
Manulife’s Jennifer Waver (C)was among speakers at Thursday’s ACTA event. In the photo above, she’s seen with her colleague Joe Fotia (left) and ACTA’s Marco Pozzobon.
Judith Coates (left) of Ontario agency Wired for Travel was among those who participated in a panel discussion. She’s joined here by Jeff Element of The Travel Agent Next Door and Chris Lackstrom of Northstar Travel & Associates.
Among those on hand for the ACTA event were Heidi Schnitker of Trevello in Oakville, Ont., and Sheila Aue of Trevello in Mississauga.
Top Photo, courtesy of Dan Galbraith/ACTA
