The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), representing over 95 percent of Canada’s unionized pilots, has called on all Canadian federal parties to commit to reforming the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). This appeal follows the government’s recent decision to permit WestJet Inc. to hire foreign pilots through the program.
“Our Association plays a vital role in ensuring the safety, reliability, and efficiency of Canada’s aviation sector. We advocate for policies that protect pilots, improve working conditions, and enhance the overall stability of the industry,” said Capt. Tim Perry, ALPA Canada president. “The recent government approval granted to WestJet Inc. to hire temporary foreign pilots at WestJet Encore through the TFWP raises significant red flags regarding the program.”
Capt. Perry criticized the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process under the TFWP as “wholly inadequate” and lacking “consultation and engagement with the unions representing the employees impacted by the hiring of TFWs.” He emphasized that “consideration of the impact on unionized workers employed under terms set out through collective bargaining is necessary and should be a required component of the LMIA process.”
ALPA is urging all parties to commit to reviewing the TFWP to reform the LMIA process. The intended reforms aim to prioritize labor input and require “meaningful and robust consultation with the unions that represent impacted employees.”
Founded in 1931, ALPA represents more than 79,000 pilots at 42 U.S. and Canadian airlines.
ALPA Canada issued a similar statement in French, calling for reforms to the Programme des travailleurs étrangers temporaires (PTET) and highlighting the same concerns and proposals addressed in their English statement.
Contact: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440.
