Air Canada Strikes Deal With Pilots Union to Avert Strike

Air Canada reached a tentative four-year agreement with its pilots union, averting a potential strike. The deal includes significant improvements in compensation and work conditions, and will now await ratification. This agreement ensures the continuation of normal operations for Canada's largest airline, which had been on the brink of a shutdown.

In a last-minute breakthrough, Air Canada announced early Sunday that it had reached a tentative four-year agreement with its pilots union, effectively preventing a looming strike or lockout.

Canada's largest airline, which operates nearly 670 flights daily and carries approximately 110,000 passengers, had been poised to progressively cancel flights over a three-day period and cease operations entirely by 12:01 a.m. EDT on Wednesday.

The new agreement, still pending ratification by the Canadian Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) representing over 5,200 pilots, promises an additional C$1.9 billion in value over four years. This marks a 46% increase over the previous contract, which expired in September 2023. Key issues addressed include wage enhancements, retirement benefits, and work rules.

(With inputs from agencies.)