Air Transat pilots' union issues 72-hour strike notice to Montreal-based airline

The union that represents Air Transat's pilots said on Sunday that it has issued a a 72-hour strike notice that could see pilots striking as early as Wednesday.

Earlier this week, the pilots voted overwhelmingly to give their union's governing body the authority to declare a strike.

The Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) said it still hoped to reach an agreement with Air Transat management before declaring a strike.

In a statement on Sunday, Capt. Bradley Small, chair of the Air Transat Master Executive Council, which is represented by the ALPA, said, “No pilot wants to strike, but Air Transat management has left us no choice."

Small said that "there is still time to avoid a strike" but that unless significant progress is made before Wednesday, "we will strike if that’s what it takes to achieve a modern contract."

Negotiations between the ALPA and the airline began in January, three months before the collective agreement was set to expire.

At issue are industry-standard pay, benefits, work rules and job security to replace their current 2015 agreement.