Flight dispatchers at Porter Airlines have voted unanimously in favour of strike action, their union said Wednesday.
Porter Airlines is one of the airlines that operates out of the Sudbury Airport.
The Canadian Airline Dispatchers Association (CALDA), which represents 35 dispatchers at Porter, said 100 per cent of workers voted for the strike mandate after more than 14 months of negotiations failed to produce a first collective agreement.
In a news release, the union alleged that “Porter has repeatedly shown a lack of respect for the professional, certified, and highly trained Dispatchers who support their growing Domestic, Transborder and International operations.”
Porter dispatchers joined CALDA in August 2024 with the goal of securing their first contract. The union also represents dispatchers from other airlines including Air Canada, Air Transat and WestJet.
Negotiations are in the final stages of conciliation with support from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, according to the union.
CALDA said it is concerned Porter has started training a small amount of non-unionized personnel to substitute the current certified dispatchers if labour disruptions were to occur. Replacing the unionized workers would be “unsafe, irresponsible, and disrespectful to both employees and the traveling public,” the union said.
The organization said it remains dedicated to negotiations and urged Porter Airlines to avoid service disruptions in the new year by taking immediate steps to resolve outstanding issues.
Porter Airlines, which is a major carrier at Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport, told TorontoToday there is no risk of an immediate labour disruption and will "continue ensuring safe operations at all times."
The airline company said it has made "fair and meaningful proposals to CALDA" on key issues during negotiations. Porter added that its dispatchers are "extremely valued" and hope an agreement can be reached.