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Aug 5 (Reuters) - Pilots at WestJet Airlines Ltd WJA.TO
have voted down a plan to form a union, the airline said on
Wednesday, blocking what would have been the first union at
Canada's No. 2 airline.
The WestJet Professional Pilots Association group said on
its Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) page that 1,247 pilots voted, and 55 percent voted
"no," while 45 percent voted "yes."
Pilots at most major airlines in Canada and the United
States are unionized. WestJet, founded in 1996, is one
exception.
The airline has enjoyed relatively cordial relations with
its workers, and boasts about its "friendly WestJetters" and its
employee share purchase plan, calling its workers "owners."
But in recent years there have been some signs of discord,
including union organizing drives among both pilots and flight
attendants.
WestJet has negotiated labor agreements with associations
that represent pilots and flight attendants, and given employees
a chance to vote on those agreements. But because the
associations are not unions, their power is extremely limited -
for example, they cannot strike.
In November 2013, WestJet pilots voted down a tentative
labor agreement endorsed by the WestJet Pilots' Association, a
separate pilots' group backed by management. Management and the
association went back to the table and workers approved a new
agreement in December 2014.