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Labour Minister offers mediator to Air Canada

Feb. 14, 2012, Ottawa - Federal Labour Minister Lisa Raitt has met with representatives of Air Canada and its pilots, telling both sides that any work stoppage would be contrary to the interests of Canadians.


February 14, 2012  By The Canadian Press

The meeting on Monday comes after Raitt announced earlier that she was offering a new mediator to help the two sides work through their contract dispute.

An earlier, two-month effort by a representative of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service has so far been unable to bring the two sides together.

And since then, the Air Canada Pilots Association has begun a strike vote, meaning either side could order a strike or lockout with 72 hours notice although both say they have no immediate plans to do so.

The new mediator being offered by Raitt would initiate a six-month process aimed at settling the dispute.

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Raitt says she wants to do everything within her power to encourage an agreement that protects the interests of the pilots, Air Canada and the travelling public.

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