Canada’s WestJet reaches tentative deal with union to avoid work stoppage

(Reuters) – Canadian airline WestJet has reached a tentative agreement with the union representing its maintenance engineers to avert work stoppage, the two parties said in a joint statement on Monday.

Both parties now await the ratification vote to be put forward, the statement said, though the companies did not reveal the details of the agreement.

WestJet, which is owned by Onex Corp, had on Saturday issued a 72-hour lockout notification to the ‍Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), warning of a work stoppage as early as Tuesday unless a deal was reached.

“After nine months of tough negotiating, we are proud to have reached a tentative agreement that will now be presented, through the ratification process,” AMFA’s Region II Director Will Abbott said.

Pilots at WestJet received a 24% hourly raise over four years, plus other pay and benefits as part of a tentative agreement reached last year.