June 28, 2024
VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL virginia.swindall@westjet.com
Virginia Swindall
Senior Manager – Labour Relations
WestJet
Re: WestJet’s Refusal to Negotiate – AMFA’s Offer to Immediately Renew Negotiations
Dear Virginia:
Yesterday, the Company shut down negotiations and engaged in related unlawful conduct in the following manner:
- WestJet withheld a revised contract proposal that had been promised for that morning;
- WestJet advised AMFA that, in reliance on the Labour Minister’s “letter” compelling arbitration, it would engage in no further collective bargaining in Toronto;
- WestJet rejected my requests for a continuation of collective bargaining in Calgary next week, thereby reneging on the Company’s prior commitment;
- WestJet said it would only continue with discussions in Toronto provided that it could exclude certain members of the AMEs’ negotiating committee.
AMFA is seeking an agreement that will ensure labour peace and the best engineer workforce in the industry. That objective, an objective that we would like to believe is a shared one, can only be accomplished by good faith bargaining.
We are available to resume collective bargaining tonight, Saturday, Sunday and into next week. In-person, virtually, or in any other manner that moves the parties forward.
We await your contact.
Sincerely,
Bret Oestreich
AMFA National President
