Air Transat: negotiations resume after union rejects tentative agreement

An Air Transat Airbus A321 generates contrails as it approaches for landing in Lisbon, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Armando Franca) Armando Franca

Negotiations have resumed between air carrier Air Transat and the union representing its 2,100 flight attendants, after the workers rejected a tentative agreement to renew their collective agreement.

Management and the FTQ-affiliated Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents the flight attendants, confirmed that negotiations had resumed earlier this week.

An agreement in principle had been reached between the parties on Dec. 14, when the threat of a strike was looming for Jan. 3. Because if it, no strike was called.

However, at general assemblies held just before Christmas, 98.1 per cent of union members rejected the agreement in principle to renew the collective agreement.

CUPE reports that it was the wage increases, deemed insufficient, that irritated its members.

The parties therefore returned to the bargaining table to try to reach a new agreement in principle.

"We are returning to the bargaining table, and our objective remains to find common ground as soon as possible," said management earlier this week.

As for the union, it had said that it was 'always possible' that it would file a new strike notice.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Jan. 5, 2024.