Canadian Airbus workers reject company's second contract offer

MIRABEL, Que. — Unionized employees at the Airbus assembly facility in Mirabel, Que., have rejected the company's latest contract offer in a vote earlier today.

A statement from Airbus says it had been holding talks with representatives of the Airbus A220 workers since they rejected the first offer three weeks ago.

The company says the dialogue at the bargaining table had been "open and constructive," and it submitted a "new improved" offer to members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers on March 29.

But the Airbus statement says there is "still a gap between the union's demands and the current financial capacity of the A220 which has not yet reached breakeven."

It says Airbus remains committed to "reconciling the interests of our employees with the economic imperatives of the A220," and its negotiating team would be back at the bargaining table as early as Monday.

A statement from the union after the first vote in March says it represents 1,300 of 3,000 workers at the facility, and those members had voted 99.6 per cent against the contact and 98.9 per cent in favour of strike action.

At the time, spokesman Eric Rancour said members were concerned that the proposed wage increases were below the rate of inflation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 7, 2024.

The Canadian Press