AC, ACPA receive final offer

Air Canada reports that along with the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA), it has received the decision of the arbitrator, Douglas Stanley, in the final offer selection arbitration conducted in accordance with the Protecting Air Service Act. The arbitrator’s selection of Air Canada’s final offer concludes a new collective agreement with ACPA following negotiations and mediated talks that took place over a period of 19 months. The five-year collective agreement is in effect until April 1, 2016. Calin Rovinescu, president and CEO of Air Canada, commented that the arbitrator’s decision “brings closure to the process for a new collective agreement with our pilots after many months of talks and mediated negotiations.” Rovinescu said, “This agreement preserves our pilots’ compensation and benefits in the top quartile of the North American industry and will help ensure the sustainability of the company’s defined benefit pension plans. At the same time, it provides the company with the necessary flexibility to compete effectively in the current industry environment. The conclusion of this, the last outstanding agreement with our main labour groups in Canada, brings closure to a long and difficult round of labour negotiations. Our focus can now turn to moving forward with our employees to complete Air Canada’s transformation into a solidly profitable airline for the benefit of all stakeholders.”