WestJet pilots on domestic routes won’t be going on strike, after all.
Pilots with WestJet Encore, which operates small planes at domestic airports including Nanaimo, have approved a new five-year contract which offers higher pay, more flexible schedules, and improved work-life balance.
The Airline Pilots Association says members voted 79% in favour of the new deal.
The union says the deal also establishes a pathway for pilots to advance their careers within the company, moving up to larger planes and routes. Advancement was one of the pilots’ main concerns, and the union says it will help retain existing pilots and attract new ones.
The new contract is effective immediately, with pay increases retroactive to January 1.
