Air Canada and IAMAW Reach New 10-Year Agreement Subject to Ratification on Contract Terms

Air Canada and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) today announced they have reached a new agreement, subject to ratification, on collective agreement terms for ten years. The IAMAW represents 7,500 Air Canada employees who work in technical maintenance and as operational support employees at airports handling baggage and in Air Canada Cargo.

“This new agreement with the IAMAW on collective agreement terms for ten years is an important achievement that will support long-term and profitable growth at Air Canada and one that recognizes the important contribution of IAMAW members. Moreover, it will benefit all stakeholders by giving our company more certainty and flexibility, while at the same time providing stability for our employees,” said Calin Rovinescu, President and Chief Executive of Air Canada. “This is now our sixth agreement — the third with terms for 10 years — that we have reached with our unions over the past year. As such, it is a further confirmation of the collaborative partnership Air Canada and its employees enjoy and our shared focus on taking care of customers and building one of the world’s leading international carriers.”

The agreement is subject to ratification by IAMAW’s membership as well as to certain openers over the 10-year period. Details of the agreement will not be released pending ratification by IAMAW and approval by the Air Canada Board of Directors.

The union will recommend ratification to its members and the Company will seek the Air Canada Board of Directors’ approval for the agreement promptly.

This agreement with IAMAW, subject to ratification, follows on the conclusion in November 2015 of a new agreement with Air Canada’s 6,500 flight attendants on collective agreement terms for ten years. It is the sixth agreement reached by Air Canada and its unions, including those with ACPA, representing the airline’s 3,000 pilots, Unifor representing the airline’s 4,000 Customer Service and Sales Agents in Canada, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) representing its U.S. unionized workforce and UNITE representing its U.K unionized workforce.