Be Ready

[Mostly Harmless]

With a prolonged labour dispute, there is always the possibility that Onex will just cut it’s losses (especially with the accumulated Covid debt) and file for bankruptcy for WS, as there probably won’t be many interested buyers as the WS debt approaches it’s asset value (if it isn’t already there if the brand doesn’t have much value left in it). They have put a couple of major acquisitions into bankruptcy in the past:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/onex-s ... n-1.406360

https://www.reuters.com/article/cbusine ... 9K20120328

WS as a bankruptcy wind-up may have more value to Onex in the future as a tax write-off against other investment gains, as opposed to investing more money to get it back into reasonable profitability.

What would be the alternative? For the pilots to continue to accept substandard compensation or even concessionary compensation in a labour shortage marketplace? No. I am willing to roll those dice because even if the management burns the place to the ground, that business needs to go somewhere and along with it, the jobs. When the dust clears and WJ tries to reopen under a reorganized or even new label, they will sill be faced with the same issue of recruiting pilots in a time of labour shortages. This is a lose, lose situation for WJ even if they are unwilling to face that fact.

[Mostly Harmless]

- I would expect in rounded numbers for pilot compensation increase ALPA is probably at 50% over 4 years and WS at 20%. I think anything over 35% will probably leave the company in an uncompetitive cost position. This is due to the fact that other employee groups (and the current shortage of labour) would be aiming for close to that (let’s say 30%), using the pilots as an example, if they don’t get close non-union people will leave and positions will be unfilled and union people will strike. This adds about 7% to the cost base, likely increasing ticket prices 10% above the competition when combined with the probable strengthened APPR legislation, until the competition have the same industry wide salary pressure. With the amount of money for travel spending closely linked to GDP, this will lead to an industry stagnation in terms of growth and contraction of those with the higher costs.

Considering that WJ pilots are paid 35% less than Air Canada pilots, I fail to see any validity to what you are saying. AC does not have to increase prices by 10% to meet their labour costs. That argument just doesn't hold any validity.

[aerobod]

- I would expect in rounded numbers for pilot compensation increase ALPA is probably at 50% over 4 years and WS at 20%. I think anything over 35% will probably leave the company in an uncompetitive cost position. This is due to the fact that other employee groups (and the current shortage of labour) would be aiming for close to that (let’s say 30%), using the pilots as an example, if they don’t get close non-union people will leave and positions will be unfilled and union people will strike. This adds about 7% to the cost base, likely increasing ticket prices 10% above the competition when combined with the probable strengthened APPR legislation, until the competition have the same industry wide salary pressure. With the amount of money for travel spending closely linked to GDP, this will lead to an industry stagnation in terms of growth and contraction of those with the higher costs.

Considering that WJ pilots are paid 35% less than Air Canada pilots, I fail to see any validity to what you are saying. AC does not have to increase prices by 10% to meet their labour costs. That argument just doesn't hold any validity.

WS is not AC (and I have worked internally at both airlines, WS to 2018, AC to 2020), the cost models, markets and competitors on given routes are not exactly the same. WS has more direct product comparison/exposure with the ULCCs than AC does. A comparison of wages and costs with Transat, Sunwing, Flair, etc is just as valid as with AC.

All I'm saying is that Onex has some economic choices to make with the already impaired asset (due to Covid) that WS is. Their perceived entrenched position is not due to wanting it to be destroyed, but in trying to keep it profitable. Market conditions will eventual determine what happens in terms of both wages and profitability, but WS economics are not exactly the same as AC nor the US airlines or most other airlines for that matter, Norwegian used to be similar in many ways in terms of product offering, size, route structure, etc, but they aren't anymore.

[Calinrobandfistyou]

Guys, all you need to be concerned with is getting a fair contract. Let’s the executives run the airline and worry about profitability.. Competitive pilot compensation within the North American market (including the USA) is all you need to be focused on. If Westjet can’t survive that then so be it, but I’d imagine they will just have to marginally raise fares to which air canada will certainly follow suit within 24 hrs and all will be copacetic again.

Cheers.

[Canadaflyer46]

- I would expect in rounded numbers for pilot compensation increase ALPA is probably at 50% over 4 years and WS at 20%. I think anything over 35% will probably leave the company in an uncompetitive cost position. This is due to the fact that other employee groups (and the current shortage of labour) would be aiming for close to that (let’s say 30%), using the pilots as an example, if they don’t get close non-union people will leave and positions will be unfilled and union people will strike. This adds about 7% to the cost base, likely increasing ticket prices 10% above the competition when combined with the probable strengthened APPR legislation, until the competition have the same industry wide salary pressure. With the amount of money for travel spending closely linked to GDP, this will lead to an industry stagnation in terms of growth and contraction of those with the higher costs.

This is a solely WestJet philosophy that they’ve managed to brainwash pilots with since inception. ‘You’re the same as a CSA/FA/groomer to us, you’re all equal, pick up garbage for free between flights etc etc’. The key difference is much of the airline’s staff could be replaced and trained within a matter of weeks. They could try doing that with the pilot group and see how it works out.
If the company‘s future plans for profitability rest on paying their pilots below market compensation that I hope they swiftly close up shop. Otherwise I hope they don’t burn through too many millions of dollars this summer fighting the inevitable.

[aerobod]

- I would expect in rounded numbers for pilot compensation increase ALPA is probably at 50% over 4 years and WS at 20%. I think anything over 35% will probably leave the company in an uncompetitive cost position. This is due to the fact that other employee groups (and the current shortage of labour) would be aiming for close to that (let’s say 30%), using the pilots as an example, if they don’t get close non-union people will leave and positions will be unfilled and union people will strike. This adds about 7% to the cost base, likely increasing ticket prices 10% above the competition when combined with the probable strengthened APPR legislation, until the competition have the same industry wide salary pressure. With the amount of money for travel spending closely linked to GDP, this will lead to an industry stagnation in terms of growth and contraction of those with the higher costs.

This is a solely WestJet philosophy that they’ve managed to brainwash pilots with since inception. ‘You’re the same as a CSA/FA/groomer to us, you’re all equal, pick up garbage for free between flights etc etc’. The key difference is much of the airline’s staff could be replaced and trained within a matter of weeks. They could try doing that with the pilot group and see how it works out.
If the company‘s future plans for profitability rest on paying their pilots below market compensation that I hope they swiftly close up shop. Otherwise I hope they don’t burn through too many millions of dollars this summer fighting the inevitable.

There are plenty of positions within the company with people that have decades of experience that are needed to keep the operations running, besides the pilots. In a free market, the pilot group is no different than any other skilled area, the compensation will eventually adjust to the market conditions.

The 'not my job' of any employee at WS is really an evolution of post unionisation and perhaps just inevitable growth in general. Pilots not helping to groom an aircraft add about 5 mins to turn time (this is based on fairly sophisticated process analysis, not just opinion, which is at least not as bad as the 20 mins added if cleaning crews came on at each turn if no employees groomed). This is worth about 2 additional aircraft required across the fleet, adding to cost that traditionally would have ended up in profit/profit share in the past. When I was a senior employee at WS it was never beneath me to groom (as required by all employees), help out slinging bags at busy times or dealing with irate guests at the airport when we had operational challenges. Times have changed now, I suppose.

[averageatbest]

There are plenty of positions within the company with people that have decades of experience that are needed to keep the operations running, besides the pilots. In a free market, the pilot group is no different than any other skilled area, the compensation will eventually adjust to the market conditions.

The 'not my job' of any employee at WS is really an evolution of post unionisation and perhaps just inevitable growth in general. Pilots not helping to groom an aircraft add about 5 mins to turn time (this is based on fairly sophisticated process analysis, not just opinion, which is at least not as bad as the 20 mins added if cleaning crews came on at each turn if no employees groomed). This is worth about 2 additional aircraft required across the fleet, adding to cost that traditionally would have ended up in profit/profit share in the past. When I was a senior employee at WS it was never beneath me to groom (as required by all employees), help out slinging bags at busy times or dealing with irate guests at the airport when we had operational challenges. Times have changed now, I suppose.

If I was paid to groom, I would groom.

I refuse to do work that creates profit or reduces costs for a for-profit company without fair compensation. I become more entrenched in my opinion every day as the company makes more and more decisions with malicious intent against it's pilots.

An example of a decision with malicious intent is the Encore YYZ base closure. They have chosen to release as little information as possible and toy with the future of Encore pilots in what appears to be an attempt to reduce the YYZ base through attrition instead of having to reimburse the pilots up to $40,000 in moving expenses.

If that's not malice, it's stupidity. Either way, management can pound sand.

[Mostly Harmless]

WS is not AC (and I have worked internally at both airlines, WS to 2018, AC to 2020), the cost models, markets and competitors on given routes are not exactly the same. WS has more direct product comparison/exposure with the ULCCs than AC does. A comparison of wages and costs with Transat, Sunwing, Flair, etc is just as valid as with AC.

All I'm saying is that Onex has some economic choices to make with the already impaired asset (due to Covid) that WS is. Their perceived entrenched position is not due to wanting it to be destroyed, but in trying to keep it profitable. Market conditions will eventual determine what happens in terms of both wages and profitability, but WS economics are not exactly the same as AC nor the US airlines or most other airlines for that matter, Norwegian used to be similar in many ways in terms of product offering, size, route structure, etc, but they aren't anymore.

Mm, yeah, I'm just going to have to go ahead and disagree with you on that. Looking at wages on the international market, Canadians are paid half of what most of our peers are paid and they all seem to be able to make a profit. In fact, as the economic reporting comes in, most every airline out there is making record profit on the recovery from covid... except one. WJ is the only player on the board to say they are losing money. Since pilot wages have not changed during this period, one could only draw the conclusion that any losses are either accounting magic or managerial incompetence and that pilot wages have had zero effect at all on the company's bottom line. Well, one other thing it could be is a plan to burn the place to the ground and start over but again if they do that where will they find cheap pilots in a labour shortage?

The idea that AC is not a comparator is a false narrative.

Do not live in fear. It is a stifling place that only prevents you from living well.

[Conflicting Traffic]

There are plenty of positions within the company with people that have decades of experience that are needed to keep the operations running, besides the pilots. In a free market, the pilot group is no different than any other skilled area, the compensation will eventually adjust to the market conditions.

We aren't operating in a free market. The pilot market is balkanized by government (borders and licensing) and then balkanized further by unions (BOTL mentality). Other high-value employees with high training/experience requirements can leave at any time to work at another company, in another industry, or in another country. This flexibility is already priced into their income. Pilot incomes are hamstrung by an enforced artificial lack of mobility. The only way to compensate for this is to negotiate aggressively and be willing to strike.

The 'not my job' of any employee at WS is really an evolution of post unionisation and perhaps just inevitable growth in general.

The 'not my job' of any employee at WS is really a response to not getting paid. Originally, WS employees received stock and profit share. This was compensation for any work that wasn't covered by wage/salary. Cleaning airplanes made sense then. It doesn't now.

Pilots not helping to groom an aircraft add about 5 mins to turn time (this is based on fairly sophisticated process analysis, not just opinion, which is at least not as bad as the 20 mins added if cleaning crews came on at each turn if no employees groomed). This is worth about 2 additional aircraft required across the fleet, adding to cost that traditionally would have ended up in profit/profit share in the past.

So the company receives a concrete benefit, but is unwilling to pay for the service? It's hard to be sympathetic.

When I was a senior employee at WS it was never beneath me to groom (as required by all employees), help out slinging bags at busy times or dealing with irate guests at the airport when we had operational challenges.

And you were compensated for that work, so I'm not sure what your point is.

Times have changed now, I suppose.

As noted above, times have indeed changed. Employees are no longer being compensated, therefore they shouldn't do the work.

[averageatbest]

As noted above, times have indeed changed. Employees are no longer being compensated, therefore they shouldn't do the work.

While mainline pilots are no longer expected to groom, Encore pilots are still being told by the company that grooming is a requirement of the job.

The only time I expect a pilot to groom is when they are flying standby for personal travel.

[accountant]

I find it highly amusing, on this pro union site, that the group that did stand up — the truckers in Ottawa — got almost universally trashed on this site, because a bunch of rich Ottawa bureaucrats were inconvenienced.

At least they had the guts to stand up for something.

Want change? It’ll cost you.

Let me know when the likes of NewlyGrounded is walking a protest line, in front of tear gas wielding police. I’d like to see that.

Carry on.

Oh give it a rest.

The truckers didn't park their cars on the side of the road and still let people sleep and live peacefully. They blocked complete roadways with a disregard for the public, honked horns all night and were a nuisance above and beyond traditional "peaceful protests". Add to that, you had numerous extra people that weren't truckers adding into things. That wasn't a strike, it was social disobedience which is far different. Add to that, they were protesting vaccine mandates and all of the rest of the stuff

Do what you should do when you strike - go picket at the airport like the prior strikes.

Shouldn't you be off posting on truth social?

[rookiepilot]

I find it highly amusing, on this pro union site, that the group that did stand up — the truckers in Ottawa — got almost universally trashed on this site, because a bunch of rich Ottawa bureaucrats were inconvenienced.

At least they had the guts to stand up for something.

Want change? It’ll cost you.

Let me know when the likes of NewlyGrounded is walking a protest line, in front of tear gas wielding police. I’d like to see that.

Carry on.

Oh give it a rest.

The truckers didn't park their cars on the side of the road and still let people sleep and live peacefully. They blocked complete roadways with a disregard for the public, honked horns all night and were a nuisance above and beyond traditional "peaceful protests". Add to that, you had numerous extra people that weren't truckers adding into things. That wasn't a strike, it was social disobedience which is far different. Add to that, they were protesting vaccine mandates and all of the rest of the stuff

Do what you should do when you strike - go picket at the airport like the prior strikes.

Shouldn't you be off posting on truth social?

Are you going to strike?

Or try to browbeat others to strike for you?

[Canadaflyer46]

As noted above, times have indeed changed. Employees are no longer being compensated, therefore they shouldn't do the work.

The only time I expect a pilot to groom is when they are flying standby for personal travel.

Why? I don't expect anyone to GAF about grooming anymore. Most of the FAs don't seem to care either. They have contracted groomers for any flight over 1.5 hours now. For the quick grooms after shorter flights the FAs have agreed in their new contract to cross the seatbelts and such (not sure how the pay is worked out for that but it's paid work now). It's yet another sign how this company refuses to change their outdated "we're all owners" mentality. All airlines offer concessionary travel to employees, WestJet is the only one I know of that insists staff get on their knees picking up garbage just to earn that privilege.

[Conflicting Traffic]

While mainline pilots are no longer expected to groom, Encore pilots are still being told by the company that grooming is a requirement of the job.

Sure, that's their position. But if you aren't getting paid, it isn't part of the job (a job, after all, is something you get paid to do). As of my departure a few months ago, the union was doing a pretty good job saying that flight safety duties come first, hint hint wink wink. I would be surprised if they aren't still taking that stance. Most pilots at that point weren't grooming because programming the FMS and doing a walkaround "ahem ... takes a long time".

[dhc2pilot]

Hey WestJet pilots…..all you need to know is Air Canada pilots are rooting for you! We are going to be in the same boat this year. Time to have some pilot unity. Go get ‘em!

[aerobod]

WS is not AC (and I have worked internally at both airlines, WS to 2018, AC to 2020), the cost models, markets and competitors on given routes are not exactly the same. WS has more direct product comparison/exposure with the ULCCs than AC does. A comparison of wages and costs with Transat, Sunwing, Flair, etc is just as valid as with AC.

All I'm saying is that Onex has some economic choices to make with the already impaired asset (due to Covid) that WS is. Their perceived entrenched position is not due to wanting it to be destroyed, but in trying to keep it profitable. Market conditions will eventual determine what happens in terms of both wages and profitability, but WS economics are not exactly the same as AC nor the US airlines or most other airlines for that matter, Norwegian used to be similar in many ways in terms of product offering, size, route structure, etc, but they aren't anymore.

Mm, yeah, I'm just going to have to go ahead and disagree with you on that. Looking at wages on the international market, Canadians are paid half of what most of our peers are paid and they all seem to be able to make a profit. In fact, as the economic reporting comes in, most every airline out there is making record profit on the recovery from covid... except one. WJ is the only player on the board to say they are losing money. Since pilot wages have not changed during this period, one could only draw the conclusion that any losses are either accounting magic or managerial incompetence and that pilot wages have had zero effect at all on the company's bottom line. Well, one other thing it could be is a plan to burn the place to the ground and start over but again if they do that where will they find cheap pilots in a labour shortage?

The idea that AC is not a comparator is a false narrative.

Do not live in fear. It is a stifling place that only prevents you from living well.

If you are able to understand RASM and adjusted stage length for both WS and AC to do a comparison between the two airlines you would see the issue (the 2019 quarterly reports for both companies can be used for accurate comparison data, as there is nothing for WS since it went private).

Screaming “give us more” isn’t going to solve the problem situation WS is now in caught between the cost model of AC and the ULCCs. All I see is WS not being able insulate itself from a low cost onslaught and not having the volume of business orientated products that AC has to differentiate and give a far superior RASM.

Frankly I’d be disappointed if WS went under as I have many friends there that would be affected and also that would be the end of my retirement privileges, but I’d give it 50/50 chance of surviving at the moment if a lengthy (3 months or more) strike happens. I can’t see Onex stepping in to provide any additional capital once all the aircraft have been leased to provide more working capital (as was the main source during Covid). As a private company it will be a lot easier to wind up operations as opposed to filing for bankruptcy as a public company - pay off the liabilities, employees laid off with at least legal minimums of severance. Written off by Onex as a failed experiment in airline ownership, with tax relief on the initial investment as a business loss against their other profitable ventures. I can’t see a bunch of angry pilots having much influence over any financial decision Onex is going to make. Tick tock!

[Dronepiper]

What’s the longest airline strike in the history of the world? I have never heard of an airline strike lasting longer then a few days.

[aerobod]

What’s the longest airline strike in the history of the world? I have never heard of an airline strike lasting longer then a few days.

Southern Airways in the US, 838 days, also supported by 5,000 ALPA pilots from other airlines.

[Maritimer]

IF we make it to a strike, it's unlikely it would last past 1 week officially.

I'm not saying the company is going to agree to pay us 40+ % more as someone on here previously mentioned, but they are going to have to fix many of the issues surrounding our pay and scheduling. It really is in their own best interest. They can't staff planes or fill ground schools as it is.

If they fight us on this all the way to a strike/lockout then we will finally have a pretty good idea of what their plans for WJ really are.

If the company can't survive due to the pilot group being compensated appropriately then it's time to close up shop. This is the attitude of many of the folks I've been in the flight deck with lately and I fully agree.

[Canadaflyer46]

If the company can't survive due to the pilot group being compensated appropriately then it's time to close up shop. This is the attitude of many of the folks I've been in the flight deck with lately and I fully agree.

+1. That’s exactly the common sentiment right now as I find it too. ‘Enough is enough’.

[aerobod]

IF we make it to a strike, it's unlikely it would last past 1 week officially.

I'm not saying the company is going to agree to pay us 40+ % more as someone on here previously mentioned, but they are going to have to fix many of the issues surrounding our pay and scheduling. It really is in their own best interest. They can't staff planes or fill ground schools as it is.

If they fight us on this all the way to a strike/lockout then we will finally have a pretty good idea of what their plans for WJ really are.

If the company can't survive due to the pilot group being compensated appropriately then it's time to close up shop. This is the attitude of many of the folks I've been in the flight deck with lately and I fully agree.

I think you would have a chance of something in the 30% range for a 4 year contract, definitely would be good if agreement could be reached over many of the issues that have arisen due to the different OCs. In a way, if the Sun Wing deal went through, rolling Swoop into there from an asset perspective and recruiting there for expansion and retaining current Swoop pilots at WS to fulfil mainline needs, may be a workable method of solving some of the major issues.

[Mostly Harmless]

All I see is WS not being able insulate itself from a low cost onslaught and not having the volume of business orientated products that AC has to differentiate and give a far superior RASM.

And who's fault is that? It wasn't the pilots who chose the multiple directions the company has committed to (failed to commit to be more precise) in recent years. WJ was moving towards the AC model with a crap ULCC to protect the bottom end (oh how AC must have been laughing all the way to the bank as we hemorrhaged money to protect them from the ULCC market and it cost AC exactly zero dollars)... and then we weren't. How proudly the management trumpeted that we were following the JetStar model. The model where the parent airline bleeds to make the ULCC look profitable when they aren't. But I digress, we are not: A LCC: A ULCC: A Legacy Carrier.... we are nothing because our inept executive can't make up their mind what we want to be so we can only be defined by what we are not instead of what we are.

WJ stopped running a business years ago. It stopped being about profit and good ideas and morphed into a "Punish the workers at all costs to show them how right we are" entity obsessed with fighting a war against its own employees rather than, even in spite of, making business decisions. You don't spend $20,000 fighting the fact you owe and employee $1000. That's not a business decision, that's a child throwing a temper tantrum... and it is what WJ is all about these days.

I can’t see Onex stepping in to provide any additional capital once all the aircraft have been leased to provide more working capital (as was the main source during Covid). As a private company it will be a lot easier to wind up operations as opposed to filing for bankruptcy as a public company - pay off the liabilities, employees laid off with at least legal minimums of severance. Written off by Onex as a failed experiment in airline ownership, with tax relief on the initial investment as a business loss against their other profitable ventures. I can’t see a bunch of angry pilots having much influence over any financial decision Onex is going to make. Tick tock!

On this, I agree. As I stated earlier. Looks like a plan. Smells like a plan. Must be a plan.

However, since the pilot payroll amounts to less than 6% of the entire operating cost of the company, bumping that up to 7% or even (gasp) 7.5% of total operating cost sinks the company, there are bigger problems than pilot salaries.

Now, speaking of pilot compensation. We USED to get:
Options with capital gains. (gone)
Stock with capital gains. (gone)
Profit share (gone)
The company has chipped away at the compensation model and actually reduced the wages of the pilots over the last several years. So, when you express an opinion that we can not ask for, no...deserve more, you are trolling the room. We deserve a massive uplift to take us back to where we were before the company chipped away at our compensation, then we need to bring ourselves in line with a little thing called inflation and finally we need to be compensated at fair market value. Something that has changed drastically and rapidly, a fact of which you may be unaware.

[aerobod]

All I see is WS not being able insulate itself from a low cost onslaught and not having the volume of business orientated products that AC has to differentiate and give a far superior RASM.

And who's fault is that? It wasn't the pilots who chose the multiple directions the company has committed to (failed to commit to be more precise) in recent years. WJ was moving towards the AC model with a crap ULCC to protect the bottom end (oh how AC must have been laughing all the way to the bank as we hemorrhaged money to protect them from the ULCC market and it cost AC exactly zero dollars)... and then we weren't. How proudly the management trumpeted that we were following the JetStar model. The model where the parent airline bleeds to make the ULCC look profitable when they aren't. But I digress, we are not: A LCC: A ULCC: A Legacy Carrier.... we are nothing because our inept executive can't make up their mind what we want to be so we can only be defined by what we are not instead of what we are.

WJ stopped running a business years ago. It stopped being about profit and good ideas and morphed into a "Punish the workers at all costs to show them how right we are" entity obsessed with fighting a war against its own employees rather than, even in spite of, making business decisions. You don't spend $20,000 fighting the fact you owe and employee $1000. That's not a business decision, that's a child throwing a temper tantrum... and it is what WJ is all about these days.

I can’t see Onex stepping in to provide any additional capital once all the aircraft have been leased to provide more working capital (as was the main source during Covid). As a private company it will be a lot easier to wind up operations as opposed to filing for bankruptcy as a public company - pay off the liabilities, employees laid off with at least legal minimums of severance. Written off by Onex as a failed experiment in airline ownership, with tax relief on the initial investment as a business loss against their other profitable ventures. I can’t see a bunch of angry pilots having much influence over any financial decision Onex is going to make. Tick tock!

On this, I agree. As I stated earlier. Looks like a plan. Smells like a plan. Must be a plan.

However, since the pilot payroll amounts to less than 6% of the entire operating cost of the company, bumping that up to 7% or even (gasp) 7.5% of total operating cost sinks the company, there are bigger problems than pilot salaries.

Now, speaking of pilot compensation. We USED to get:
Options with capital gains. (gone)
Stock with capital gains. (gone)
Profit share (gone)
The company has chipped away at the compensation model and actually reduced the wages of the pilots over the last several years. So, when you express an opinion that we can not ask for, no...deserve more, you are trolling the room. We deserve a massive uplift to take us back to where we were before the company chipped away at our compensation, then we need to bring ourselves in line with a little thing called inflation and finally we need to be compensated at fair market value. Something that has changed drastically and rapidly, a fact of which you may be unaware.

Sounds like you should just look for another job elsewhere, would be a lot less stressful for you.

[Crewbunk]

What’s the longest airline strike in the history of the world? I have never heard of an airline strike lasting longer then a few days.

Southern Airways in the US, 838 days, also supported by 5,000 ALPA pilots from other airlines.

Yes, that was during the days in the US when remaining flying airlines were required to share revenue gained as a result of the strike. This had the effect of prolonging strikes. No such provision exists in Canada. (Or ever has).

The longest I can recall was Eastern Provincial Airways, which lasted 33 days, about 40 years ago. More recent times would include Air Canada which struck for 13 days in 1998. In 2012, Air Canada pilots were locked out then (illegally) legislated back to work.

Hopefully, Westjet pilots ignore (illegal) back to work legislation.

[averageatbest]

Yes, that was during the days in the US when remaining flying airlines were required to share revenue gained as a result of the strike. This had the effect of prolonging strikes. No such provision exists in Canada. (Or ever has).

The longest I can recall was Eastern Provincial Airways, which lasted 33 days, about 40 years ago. More recent times would include Air Canada which struck for 13 days in 1998. In 2012, Air Canada pilots were locked out then (illegally) legislated back to work.

Hopefully, Westjet pilots ignore (illegal) back to work legislation.

It's a good thing that protesting is a protected right.

Additionally, what other profession allows for fast, easy, and inexpensive travel to our nation's capital?