In response to news that the WestJet Group of companies has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Sunwing Vacations and Sunwing Airlines, Capt. Dave Kingston, chair of the WestJet Master Executive Council, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), issued the following statement.
“Although very few details have been made available, we are encouraged to hear from executives at both airlines that there will be no job losses in the planned takeover, and we look forward to ensuring the pilots’ priorities are linked to the future success of this acquisition.
“WestJet is a leader in the Canadian travel industry and while this acquisition may make sense for the business, we remind them that they must work with ALPA and their other employee groups to ensure that this pivotal transaction is equally beneficial for all employees.
“From the pilot group’s perspective, in order to reach a successful outcome, we believe any transaction with Sunwing must translate into opportunity for the pilots. Among other important considerations, this deal should provide greater labor protections and job security for pilots of both airlines.
ALPA is the world’s largest pilot union, representing over 62,000 pilots at 38 airlines in the United States and Canada. It was founded in 1931. Visit www.alpa.org for more information, or follow us on Twitter at @ALPACanada and @WeAreALPA.
