16 October, 2020
For immediate release
Toronto, ON – Yesterday, WestJet announced an 80% reduction in flights to Atlantic Canada and Quebec City due to the ongoing pandemic. With these cuts to service, combined with layoffs in the airline and aerospace sectors, as well as the onset of a “Second wave” of the COVID-19 pandemic, the forecast is dire.
“The industry is in peril. The IAM is again calling on the federal government to intervene as these cuts will be commonplace if the government doesn’t provide support to the air transportation industry in Canada” said Keith Aiken, Canadian Air Transportation Coordinator for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
“The airline industry is one of the biggest contributors to the Canadian economy and the industry needs support now. The ripple effects of inaction on the part of our government will be devastating not only to the air transportation industry but to the aerospace sector,” said Stan Pickthall, General Vice-President Canada.
The uncertainty contributes to the instability in people’s lives and in their communities.
The situation is critical! The federal government must move quickly and decisively to save workers and the industry at large. Failing to do so would cause havoc within the air transportation sector.
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For more information:
Keith Aiken, IAM Canadian Air Transportation Coordinator
kaiken@iamaw.org
Frank Saptel
IAM Canadian Communications Representative
fsaptel@iamaw.org
