WestJet pilots deal grants 24% raise over four years

WestJet pilots are bound for a 24-per-cent pay bump over four years under an agreement-in-principle between the company and the union.

Pilots will receive a 15.5-per-cent hourly pay raise this year retroactive to Jan. 1 upon ratification of the deal, according to a copy of the tentative agreement summary obtained by The Canadian Press.

It also lays out a cumulative 8.5-per-cent hike to their hourly wage over the remainder of the contract, from 2024 through 2026.

Bargaining came down to the wire last week, with WestJet cancelling more than 230 flights in preparation for job action before a deal was reached hours ahead of the strike deadline on May 19.

The agreement sets a new standard for labour gains in Canadian aviation, says expert Rick Erickson.

“You can bet that Air Canada’s pilot union will be looking at this very, very closely,” said Mr. Erickson, managing director of consulting firm R.P. Erickson and Associates.

Flight crews at the country’s biggest carrier may soon be in bargaining themselves. In a letter to members this month, the Air Canada Pilots Association said workers must decide by May 29 whether to stick with their 10-year collective agreement inked in 2014 or opt to start full negotiations ahead of time this year.

The WestJet deal could also make it tougher for budget airline competitors Flair Airlines and Lynx Air to retain pilots, even as they gain an edge on labour costs.