Members of the union at Airbus Canada in Mirabel overwhelmingly rejected the management's offer to renew their collective agreement, which expired last December, for the second time on Sunday.

Mirabel workers, represented by Local Lodge 712 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), met in Laval on Sunday and voted 99.9 percent against the new management offer, following the recommendation of their bargaining committee.
Among the 1300 workers represented by this division, 79 percent voted, representing more than 1000 union members.

On March 17 of this year, 99.6 percent of the workers voted against the company's first offer.

Eric Rancourt, spokesperson for the bargaining table and IAMAW representative in Quebec, Canada, said many aspects of the employer's offer remain unsatisfactory according to the workers, despite wage improvements since March. "The remaining issues are catching up with wages from past years with (inflation) and rising prices."

Rancourt added, "There is also linking the pension plan to the cost of living, work schedules, group insurance, job security, outsourcing, and the contract duration as well."

Union members at Airbus Mirabel work on the A220 aircraft, which Airbus Canada hopes to make profitable by 2026.

Rancourt said, "The people working on the A220 have made many sacrifices over the past twenty years to ensure the program's success. What they want now is a return on their investment in terms of better working conditions."

The union plans a "retaliatory response" starting Monday morning, but Rancourt did not want to disclose these pressure tactics to preserve the "element of surprise."

However, there is still no doubt about the strike, as negotiations between the two parties also resume on Monday.

Rancourt said, "We are giving ourselves one last chance to reach an agreement through negotiation. As far as the union is concerned, we are open to dialogue, but it will now depend on the employer's position at the table today (Monday)."

Airbus Canada responded to the union's vote on Sunday by saying it is "determined to continue the dialogue that has begun" with the goal of "finding an agreement that suits both parties and ensures the long-term success of the A220 aircraft."

"We submitted a new improved offer to the union on March 29. The dialogue at the table is open and constructive, but there remains a gap between the union's demands and the current financial capacity of the A220, which has not yet reached the break-even point. We acknowledge that.

Anabelle Duchesne, Head of Communications at Airbus Canada, said in an email: "We look forward to the voting results and remain committed to reconciling the interests of our employees with the economic necessities of the A220 aircraft."

She pointed out that the collective agreement for Mirabel workers expired on December 1, 2023, and discussions with management began last November.