Joint Release

Dear Tech Ops Team and Union Members:

Today, the AMFA Negotiating Committee and WestJet Management Negotiating Team are announcing a renewed commitment to reaching a favourable collective agreement, formalized by both parties signing a memorandum of agreement (MOA) that will help us create momentum at the bargaining table.

The MOA outlines key points of agreement between AMFA and WestJet that will be incorporated into a collective agreement, subject to ratification by AMFA members:

1. All work of the Aircraft Maintenance Lead (AML) position and Inspector Crew Lead (ICL) position will be retained by the union and performed by a new bargaining unit Operations Lead (OL) position, with the exception of hiring, disciplinary and attendance tasks.  WestJet will post fourteen (14) new OL positions the day following ratification.  The Operations Lead (OL) position will report into the Operations Manager (OM).  Employees who are currently in the AML and ICL positions will have options to accept an OL role, transfer to an AME position in their current base or resign (the latter reserved only for AML roles). All options have their respective compensation packages assigned.
2. Joint recognition of the following positions as within the collective bargaining unit: Base Planner, Tech Rep Lead, Power Plant Engineer, and Senior Power Plant Engineer.
3. All current legal disputes, including WestJet’s challenge to AMFA’s certification and AMFA’s unfair labour practice (ULP) complaints have been settled and resolved.
4. AMFA’s support for WestJet’s Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) filing for one consolidated bargaining unit to represent our integrated workforce between WestJet and Sunwing.
5. Aligning on a tentative agreement package inclusive of seven articles: Management rights, Pay Discrepancies, Collective Agreement Amendments, Passport, No Strike/Lockout, Union Release Time, and Uniforms.
6. WestJet’s review of AMFA’s first comprehensive counterproposal by Wednesday, April 10.
7. Extending negotiating hours and days through the month of April.
8. Avoiding any lock out or strike action through the end of April.
9. Both parties will endeavor to execute future joint communications or sharing advanced notice of separate communications. 

We recognize some of the challenges we have faced during negotiations have been distracting and we believe this signed MOA will help alleviate concerns while allowing you, our WestJet AMEs, to continue maintaining the highest standards of safety and reliability for our fleet. 

We look forward to the opportunities ahead for progress and mutual benefit. The teams will meet in person the week of April 15 in Edmonton and the week of April 23 in Calgary to continue negotiating a comprehensive agreement that demonstrates value for our AMEs and positions WestJet as an attractive and positive choice to build a career for years to come.