Air Canada pilots union says airline has abandoned conciliation talks

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 2:54 PM

A passenger checks in for an Air Canada flight at O'Hare International Airport February 3;2011 in Chicago;Illinois. Commercial carriers at the airport started flying today for the first time since a blizzard forced the grounding of almost all planes Tuesday afternoon. Despite efforts to return to normal the Chicago Department of Aviation still reported at least 1,000 flights had been cancelled today. Throughout the city residents continue to dig out from more than 20 inches of snow that fell on the area Tuesday and Wednesday.

Photo Credit: Scott Olson , Getty Images

TORONTO - Air Canada's pilots has accused the airline of abandoning efforts to negotiate a new contract with the help of a federal conciliator in a move to foster a "fake crisis."

The Air Canada Pilot's Association, which represents about 3,000 pilots at Air Canada (TSX:AC.B), said Tuesday that the carrier is trying to engineer a conflict without a serious effort to negotiate a deal.

Association president Paul Strachan said the airline did not table a proposal within the 60-day deadline as called for in the conciliation process, then put down a last minute offer after the union agreed to extend the process.

Now, however, that Air Canada is refusing to continue the talks, Strachan said.

"It's obvious that the airline's executives want to run out the legislated time clock so they can foist a fake crisis on the federal government in the hope that Ottawa will impose arbitration," Strachan said.

"The federal government should be as angry as our pilots that Air Canada executives are playing these games. The Minister of Labour should tell Air Canada to get back to the bargaining table with a genuine proposal aimed at a fair settlement."

The airline could not be immediately reached for comment.

It has been a tense six months for Air Canada and its employees.

The pilots rejected an earlier tentative agreement last May and have continued to work under terms of the existing agreement, which expired in March.

Air Canada reached a tentative collective agreement with the union that represents its flight dispatchers and a tentative contract with 6,800 flight attendants in June.

The agreements followed a three-day strike by Air Canada's customer service workers in June, represented by the Canadian Auto Workers union, over key issues such as pensions and wages.

The two sides came to an agreement shortly after federal Labour Minister Lisa Raitt prepared back to work legislation.

Under the Canada Labour Code, federal conciliation expires after 60 days unless both parties agree to its extension.The two sides will now enter a 21-day "cooling off" period before either party can take action. Strachan said the pilots will continue to be open to bargaining during the period.