Sunwing Airlines pilots establish strike mandate

Unifor could give strike notice as soon as May 30

Sunwing Airlines pilots — represented by Unifor Local 7378 — have given a 96 per cent strike mandate to the union’s negotiating team.

The pilots’ collective agreement expired in November 2015.

The parties have gone through the conciliation process mandated under the Canada Labour Code and the mediation and cooling off period ends on May 30.

Once the mediation and cooling off period is over, the union could give the employer a 72-hours strike notice.

“It’s our hope that Sunwing will recognize the clear mandate that our members have given us and that management will return to the bargaining table and negotiate a fair collective agreement,” said Unifor Local 7378 president Matt Rogers.

A labour dispute would affect 380 pilots operating in seven bases across Canada, including Halifax, Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary.

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