Very Interesting... WESTJET ISSUES LOCKOUT NOTICE
Labour tensions between WestJet and the union representing its pilots are nearing a boiling point just ahead of one of the busiest weekends on the travel calendar. The company has issued a lockout notice in response to the Air Line Pilots Association's (ALPA) strike notice, with the potential for a lockout to begin at 3 a.m. MDT this Friday. WestJet says the lockout notice does not necessarily mean a stoppage will occur, but that it is beginning preparations to operate a reduced schedule and will refund or work out a solution for travellers impacted. The timing is – predictably for work action – brutal for all involved, given the May long weekend is the unofficial kickoff to summer travel season, and after three years of pandemic hits, Canadians have shown a marked eagerness to get out and about rather than spend another holiday homebound.