WestJet Disrupts in Chaos

And Litigation

Engineers Union Initiates Legal Action to Counter 

“Troubling reduction” in maintenance oversight. 

On March 30, 2023, the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) certified the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) as the representative of WestJet’s Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs) and all other skilled aircraft maintenance employees. In the U.S., AMFA also represents Alaska Airlines, Horizon, L3 Harris MAS, Southwest, Spirit, and Sun Country.

Unfortunately, to disrupt the union, WestJet created a new position titled Operations Manager (OM) and they are filling the OM positions with former Aircraft Maintenance Leads (AMLs) who were originally in the collective bargaining unit. 

Disruption and Chaos Ensues 

In an email dated November 10, WestJet’s Senior Manager, Labour Relations Virginia Swindall sought AMFA’s immediate “intervention in de-escalating” a “serious and emerging concern” relating to its Toronto maintenance operations. According to Virginia, WestJet’s Manager Line Maintenance Darren Cook reported that a Toronto AME was “passionately advising our employees to ‘Fuck the OMs’, etc.” (Attachment B). 

In a November 13 letter seeking to resolve the dispute, AMFA National Region II Director, Will Abbott advised WestJet that its actions had “sown dissension within the department with AMEs perceiving former AMLs, who have accepted OM positions, as scabs who have betrayed the bargaining unit and cut off their brother AMEs from economic opportunities.” (Attachment C). 

National AMFA President Bret Oestreich comments:

“The safe performance of aircraft maintenance requires professionalism and mutual trust. By its own admission, the airline’s actions have led to emotion and hostility within its maintenance operations. WestJet aircraft maintenance professionals unionized because they felt disrespected by the carrier and dismissed the AME’s critical contributions as a stakeholder to WestJet operations. Now, WestJet seems to be methodically rubbing salt into the wound.” 

“At several stations we have witnessed a troubling reduction in lead oversight of maintenance operations. And this arises in a context where maintenance staffing at some stations remains below pre-COVID levels despite a post-COVID surge in flight volume. WestJet aircraft maintenance is headed in a direction inconsistent with safe operations.” 

On December 11, 2023, on behalf of AMFA, attorney Samuel Seham, from Seham, Seham, Metz and Peterson, filed unfair labor practice charges against WestJet Airlines (WJA) with the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB). 

Samuel Seham

Samuel says, “Once the CIRB has certified a union, the law prohibits unilateral changes of status quo working conditions without prior negotiations with the union. This is particularly true with respect to the transfer of work outside the bargaining unit and the resulting loss of economic opportunities. To the extent that chaos now reigns within the airline’s maintenance operations, I attribute that chaos to what I consider to be WestJet’s unlawful conduct. We have commenced this CIRB action in the interest of our members and aviation safety.”

This should be an interesting battle. The unfortunate part about all this is that maintenance will suffer, employee lives will be upturned, and passenger safety will be at risk. It's a shame that airline management can't just follow the law and do the right thing. 

Enjoy the Journey!

XO Karlene