Air Inuit pilots vote for new contract
Union and airline had been negotiating for 18 months
The union representing Air Inuit’s pilots says its members have voted in favour of a new four-year contract with the airline, bringing more than a year and half of negotiations to an end. (File photo by Jean-Pierre Bonin)
Air Inuit’s unionized pilots have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new contract with the airline.
Of the 92 per cent of eligible pilots who cast ballots, 94 per cent voted in favour of the agreement, a news release from the Air Line Pilots Association Canada, the union representing the pilots, said Wednesday.
“[The contract] delivers meaningful progress on salaries, benefits, paid leave, and career progression, while directly addressing the retention challenges to the reliability of northern air service.” Capt. Louis-Philippe Desmarais, chair of the union’s leadership team, said in the news release.
It did not say what kind of wage increase the contract included or what other gains were made for pilots through the negotiations.
In August, Desmarais sounded the alarm after talks dragged on for 18 months. The pilots had been working without a contract since June 2023 when their previous agreement expired.
Pilots wanted scheduling stability, improved working conditions and fair compensation in line with their southern colleagues. Desmarais said at the time, as negotiations dragged on, that Air Inuit pilots might start looking south for employment.
“This agreement strengthens the airline’s future by ensuring experienced pilots can build sustainable careers here,” Desmarais said.
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