Quote:
Originally Posted by lucky1
Correct me if Im wrong, but as I understand, WS Pilots are getting paid much less than their USA Counterparts now - if WS doesn't stand up to the plate and pay the pilots what they are worth, it will throw a huge fu** into the spring/summer plans for many of us based in Western Canada. I'm sure AC is looking at this very closely as any WS bargaining outcomes will have a trickle down effect on them as well...
come on Onex - pay your people a comparative wage
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The numbers coming out of the US for new pilot contracts are stunning and there's no way WestJet (or Air Canada) can come close to matching them. Canadian airlines are still in recovery mode and well behind the US carriers in financial health due to how the two federal governments assisted the industry through Covid. Airfares in Canada would go through the roof if we were to try and match US carriers, they are two completely different markets.
Talking to a WestJet pilot friend on the weekend. He's not thrilled or optimistic with how things are going (and he's about the furthest thing there is from an ALPA supporter). Everyone is a little different but for him it's not so much the wages but the take home pay that bothers him most. Benefits are quite poor compared to others and the bonus structure (had to change from share purchases to essentially cash bonus once Onyx bought them) is not what it used to be and is toughest on new pilots.
Added headaches are the different pay structures at Swoop vs mainline, and soon to be Sunwing. This will also have to be resolved.
The gap is pretty big between ALPA and WestJet. This is the second contract now and the first was imposed on both parties by government when they could not agree on the initial one. And practically no progress has been made in the time since.