WestJet pilots deal grants 24% pay raise over four years

WestJet pilots are poised to get a 24 per cent pay bump over 4 years below an agreement-in-principle between the corporate and the union.

A replica of the tentative settlement abstract obtained by The Canadian Press states that pilots will obtain a 15.5 per cent hourly pay increase this 12 months retroactive to Jan. 1 upon ratification of the deal.

It additionally lays out a cumulative 8.5 per cent hike to their hourly wage over the rest of the contract, from 2024 by 2026.

Bernard Lewall, who heads the Air Line Pilots Association’s WestJet contingent, mentioned final Friday after reaching a deal that the union achieved its predominant targets of higher pay, job safety and work-life stability.

Aviation professional Rick Erickson says the deal marks a brand new normal for labour negotiations in Canadian aviation, and will additionally make it more durable for finances airline rivals to retain pilots.

Bargaining got here right down to the wire final week, with WestJet cancelling greater than 230 flights in preparation for job motion earlier than a deal was reached hours forward of the strike deadline Friday morning.

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed May 26, 2023.