Air Canada, Pilots Continue Contract Talks

Air Canada and a pilots union are continuing talks, with more scheduled for today, to avoid a strike that could ground the country’s biggest airline. Air Canada said talks with the Air Canada Pilots Assn., which represents 2,200 pilots employed by the Montreal-based carrier, have made “considerable progress” during the last four days. The pilots haven’t given the company a notice of a strike, the company said in a statement. Under Canadian law unions must give 72 hours notice before any labor strike. The pilots’ contract expired three months ago. The major sticking points are wage increases and Air Canada’s desire to obtain union support for separate collective agreements at leisure, cargo and discount airlines the company wants to start. Air Canada said it would no longer comment about the talks.