News Releases

WestJet reaches tentative agreement with WestJet Pilot Association

Collaborative process results in agreement based on shared interests

CALGARY, Nov. 17, 2014 /CNW/ - WestJet announced today it has reached a tentative agreement with its more than 1,200 pilots, represented by the WestJet Pilot Association (WJPA). The agreement's highlights will be available in early December and voting will begin later in the month.

"This is a collaborative agreement that will ensure WestJet remains fully competitive into the future, while providing our pilots with an industry-leading agreement," said Gregg Saretsky, WestJet President and CEO. "This agreement represents WestJet's commitment to work directly with the WJPA on behalf of pilots, based on our shared interests and for the good of the airline."

"The WJPA executive and a team of WestJet leaders worked diligently to find creative solutions that balanced improved productivity and flexibility with significant improvements in compensation," said Fred Cleveland, WestJet Executive Vice-President, Operations.

The WJPA and WestJet leadership teams began negotiations in September 2014 to develop a tentative agreement to replace the previous agreement, which has been in place since May 2009.

About WestJet
We are proud to be Canada's most-preferred airline, powered by an award-winning culture of care and recognized as one of the country's top employers. We offer scheduled service to more than 90 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe. Through our regional airline, WestJet Encore, and with partnerships with airlines representing every major region of the world, we offer our guests more than 120 destinations in more than 20 countries. Leveraging WestJet's extensive network, flight schedule and remarkable guest experience, WestJet Vacations delivers affordable, flexible travel experiences with a variety of accommodation options for every guest. Members of our WestJet Rewards program earn WestJet dollars on flights, vacation packages and more. Our members use WestJet dollars towards the purchase of WestJet flights and vacations packages on any day, at any time, to any WestJet destination with no blackout periods – even on seat sales. For more information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com.  

About WestJet
We are proud to be Canada's most-preferred airline, powered by an award-winning culture of care and recognized as one of the country's top employers. We offer scheduled service to more than 90 destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe. Through our regional airline, WestJet Encore, and with partnerships with airlines representing every major region of the world, we offer our guests more than 120 destinations in more than 20 countries. Leveraging WestJet's extensive network, flight schedule and remarkable guest experience, WestJet Vacations delivers affordable, flexible travel experiences with a variety of accommodation options for every guest. Members of our WestJet Rewards program earn WestJet dollars on flights, vacation packages and more. Our members use WestJet dollars towards the purchase of WestJet flights and vacations packages on any day, at any time, to any WestJet destination with no blackout periods – even on seat sales. For more information about everything WestJet, please visit westjet.com.  

Recent recognition includes:
2015 Best Employers in Canada (Aon Hewitt)
2014 Interbrand Canada's Best Canadian Brands (Rank #20)
2014 Brands of the Year (Strategy magazine)
2014 Canada's Most Preferred Airline (Ipsos)
2014 Value Airline of the Year (Air Transport World magazine)
2014/2013/2012 Canada's Most Attractive Employer (Randstad)
2014/2013 WestJet RBC MasterCard ranked #1 in Canada (Money Sense magazine)
2013 Highest equity score: airline, vacation package supplier brands (Harris/Decima EquiTrend Study)

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SOURCE WestJet

For further information: Media contact: Media Relations, 1-888-WJ-4-NEWS (1-888-954-6397), media@westjet.com