Canadian airline pilots gathered on Parliament Hill on Dec. 3 to meet with MPs about flight- and duty-time issues, as well as the impact of government on collective bargaining.
The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) contends that manufacturers and regulators are trying to remove the second pilot from commercial flights.
“Should this occur, no second pilot would be available to help in flight or to manage emergencies,” ALPA said in a statement. “This is not acceptable.”
The union is also pushing back against calls from other aviation stakeholders in Canada to relax or roll back flight- and duty-time regulations.
“Make no mistake, exemptions or relief from flight- and duty-time regulations for commercial operators compromise safety and increase the risk to our passengers and flight crews,” said Capt Tim Perry, ALPA Canada president.
With regard to collective bargaining, Perry said: “Earlier this year government interventions to end labour disputes in the federal sector disincentivized employers’ willingness to conclude fair collective agreements with their employees.
“It is crucial that the federal government refrains from interfering in the collective bargaining process to allow parties to reach a freely negotiated agreement,” he said.
