VANCOUVER, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Canada's second largest airline, the WestJet Group, said Friday it is outraged at an unexpected strike by its aircraft maintenance engineers.
The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), representing about 670 WestJet maintenance engineers, has commenced strike action as of 4:30 p.m. local time Friday (2330 GMT).
"The government has officially stepped in to provide binding arbitration and ensure we get to a resolution; the only reason for this union to continue with a strike action is to create damage, disrupt the travel plans of thousands of Canadians over the July long weekend and to inflict significant costs on our business," said Diederik Pen, president of WestJet.
"Given arbitration has been ordered, a strike has no leverage on the arbitration's outcome, so it is pure retaliation of a disappointed union. We are extremely outraged at these actions and will hold AMFA 100 percent accountable for the unnecessary stress and costs incurred as a result," Pen said.
Severe travel disruption is to be expected if the strike is not called off immediately, the airline said in a statement.