Canada's WestJet Airlines gets second strike notice from union

A WestJet Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner airplane taxis along a runway at Toronto Pearson Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada April 28, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio/File Photo

(Reuters) -Canada's WestJet Airlines said on Wednesday a union representing its maintenance engineers had rejected its new pay offer and served a second strike notice, days after the union called off a strike and agreed to return to the bargaining table.

WestJet, which is backed by Onex Corp and competes with Air Canada, has been facing demands from employees for improved working conditions and higher salaries.

A work stoppage by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) could occur as soon as June 28, the airline said in a statement.

The offer that was rejected had presented aircraft maintenance engineers with a 22% pay increase over four years.

"WestJet counter-proposed an economic enhancement of less than 1% at the cost of an extended contract term -- the effective affirmation of the company's previous public statements that it would refuse to engage in meaningful negotiations with respect to economic issues," AMFA said in a statement.

AMFA also said it had agreed to extend negotiations in Toronto through the end of this week and resume in Calgary next week if necessary.

The airline last week canceled 40 flights that affected 6,500 customers after it was rendered a 72-hour strike notice by the union. On June 20, the union withdrew the strike notice and agreed to return to discussions.

(Reporting by Kanjyik Ghosh, Nilutpal Timsina and Kannaki Deka; Editing by Sonia Cheema, Mrigank Dhaniwala and Devika Syamnath)