Air Inuit pilots union warns of service impacts if negotiations drag on

After 18 months of negotiating a new contract, a spokesperson for Air Inuit’s unionized pilots says there’s no sign a settlement will be reached soon and warns airline service could be affected.

If negotiations drag on, sagging morale could see pilots look for work elsewhere, which could affect Air Inuit service, said Louis-Philippe Desmarais, who represents the Air Inuit pilots in the Air Line Pilots Association Canada union, adding there is demand in the industry for pilots.

“Our primary concern is to retain our experienced pilots,” he said, citing the unique conditions posed by flying in the North.

Desmarais said wages, other compensation and working conditions at Air Inuit are not competitive with contracts at other airlines.

The union’s previous contract expired in June 2023.

Louis-Philippe Desmarais, who represents Air Inuit pilots in the Air Line Pilots Association Canada union, fears some pilots will leave if contract negotiations drag on. (Photo courtesy of Louis-Philippe Desmarais)

Desmarais said that in negotiations, the union is seeking measures to improve employee retention including higher wages, improved working conditions and a stable work schedule for pilots.

Scheduling has become erratic, he said, making it difficult for pilots to plan their lives.

“For example, if you’re scheduled to do a one-day flight on Monday, maybe they call you in the morning and say, ‘You know what? You’re gone for four days.'”

He said, “Now they even draft people,” meaning pilots have to answer the phone on their days off and may be asked to fly. “Otherwise, you can get the disciplined on that.”

Since June 30, the two sides have been negotiating with help from a provincially appointed conciliator and Desmarais said progress has been made. A conciliator acts as a third party in negotiations, helping the two sides to communicate and clarify their positions.

Desmarais said the union and company have also started the process of determining which airline services could be “deemed essential under Canadian law,” meaning workers who provide that service would not be eligible to strike.

Asked if that meant the union is considering strike action, Desmarais said, “Job action is always a possibility.

“But we don’t want to talk about a possible strike right now. We really want to focus on maintaining a stable service. We are 100 per cent focused on negotiating.”

Desmarais said he fears “another round” of departures by pilots if a settlement isn’t reached soon, noting that in previous negotiations between 40 and 50 experienced pilots left.

The union currently represents 235 pilots and 42 per cent of them have less than three years’ experience, he said.

In an unsigned email Tuesday, a spokesperson for Air Inuit said, “At this moment, Air Inuit will not comment, in respect of the negotiation process that is ongoing.”