TORONTO (AP) — Canada’s second-largest airline, Westjetsaid Sunday it had cancelled more than 800 flights affecting tens of thousands of passengers as an unexpected strike by aircraft mechanics entered its third day.
Around 680 workers, whose daily inspections and repairs are essential to the airline’s operations, walked off the job on Friday night, despite a directive from the federal labor minister for binding arbitration.
The strike comes during the Canada Day long weekend, the busiest tourist week of the year in the country.
Both the airline and the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association have accused the other side of refusing to negotiate in good faith.
WestJet Airlines President Diederik Pen highlighted what he calls the “continued reckless actions” of a union making “blatant efforts” to disrupt Canadians’ travel plans, while the association said the Calgary-based company -Alberta has refused to respond to your latest counterproposal.
In an update sent to members on Sunday, he said mechanics were “victims of WestJet’s virulent PR campaign that you are lawbreakers,” citing “slanders” against workers around their right to strike.
The job action comes after union members voted overwhelmingly to reject a tentative WestJet deal in mid-June and after two weeks of tense talks between the two sides.
As the clock ticked toward Friday’s strike deadline, the impasse prompted Labor Minister Seamus O’Regan to intervene, ordering WestJet and the union to submit to binding arbitration headed by the country’s labor court.
That process normally avoids a work stoppage. WestJet certainly thought so, saying the union had “confirmed that they will comply with management.”
“In light of this, there will be no strike or lockout, and the airline will no longer proceed with cancelling flights,” the airline said on Thursday.
The mechanics had a different view. The union’s negotiating committee said it would “comply with the minister’s order and ordered its members to refrain from any illegal industrial action.” Less than 24 hours later, workers were on picket lines.