Air Canada, pilots and travellers brace for possible disruptions as strike notice deadline looms

The clock ticked down Saturday night as labour negotiations continued between Air Canada and the pilots’ union to reach a new deal before a strike or lockout notice could be issued at midnight.
For almost 15 months Air Canada has been at the bargaining table with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents more than 5,200 pilots, with the main sticking point for the union being better wages.
“Air Canada has been bargaining in good faith with ALPA, meeting more than 100 times, and we remain engaged with the union to reach a new collective agreement,” an Air Canada spokesperson said in a statement to the Star on Saturday. “At this time there is no further update on the ongoing talks, during which we have made significant offers without seeking concessions.”
If a deal isn’t reached by midnight, then either side could trigger the start of what may be a shutdown of the country’s largest airline. On Sunday, both sides will be in position to provide 72-hour notice of a strike or lockout that could disrupt travel for the more than 100,000 passengers who fly the airline every day.
Air Canada has said if a 72-hour notice is given it will have to progressively cancel flights with a complete suspension of operations three days later. 
“We continue to meet with Air Canada today in an effort to reach a new contract at the negotiating table, and avoid legal job action and the effects of that on our passengers,” first officer, Charlene Hudy, Air Canada Master Executive Council Chair, ALPA, who’s also chair of the Air Line Pilot Association division representing pilots at the country’s biggest airline, said in a statement to the Star. 
Although preparations for a possible suspension of operations continue, Air Canada hasn’t cancelled flights yet, the airline’s spokesperson said.
“But as we said Friday, we have begun taking some measures, including limiting certain types of cargo shipments, such as perishables, and adjusting some aircraft flying schedules to have them positioned properly in event of a wind down,” the statement said.
“We are finalizing our plans, delaying the first cancellations as much as we can as we know that, once the wind-down has started, we cannot avoid disruptions for several days even if a settlement occurs quickly.”
The union has said corporate greed has held up talks, as the airlines continues to yield record profits while pilots’ salaries are below market rate. The airline has said the union is being inflexible with “unreasonable wage demands,” prompting it to call for the government to be ready to intervene. But on Friday, the federal government said it has no intention of becoming involved.
“I know every time there’s a strike, people say, ‘Oh, you’ll get the government to come in and fix it.’ We’re not going to do that. We believe in collective bargaining,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters Friday, who acknowledged that the government has stepped in during other labour disputes. 
With files from Canadian Press and Josh Rubin