Thank you very much, and good afternoon.
My name is Captain Tim Perry. I am president of ALPA Canada.
On behalf of the over 6,000 professional pilots in 16 airlines in Canada, I appreciate the opportunity to provide comments to the committee for its study. I would like to comment on the pilot profession in Canada and what the outlook is for the profession, given the alarming trend we are seeing with airlines in this country seeking to hire foreign pilots instead of Canadian pilots to fill vacancies on their flight decks.
The pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on Canada's aviation sector and its workers, and it continues to be felt across the industry as the recovery continues and demand for travel returns to pre-COVID levels. ALPA maintains that the current situation regarding pilot supply has been compounded by the government's failure to provide airlines with direct and appropriate aviation-specific COVID financial assistance in a timely manner, as was done by other countries early in the pandemic.
Many airlines have also contributed to a tightening labour market due to their poor planning and management of their present workforce. The issue of pilot supply has been used as an excuse by certain airline management groups to undermine collective bargaining rights and labour standards and to deflect from other operational issues and labour shortages elsewhere in their system. Companies are simply resisting their obligation to pay the evolving market rates to attract and retain Canadian pilots. As a result, many pilots have either sought employment elsewhere in the world or have left the industry altogether.
We believe that collectively bargained financial incentives to re-enter the Canadian industry are the best solution, because these highly skilled individuals can be back on the flight line in the shortest possible time compared with training new pilots. This is equally important when it comes to retaining our pilots. Further, hiring foreign pilots to address a near-term need has safety implications—something we never say lightly—because of differing and sometimes questionable standards, as well as longer-term supply issues as these pilots return at some point to their home countries.
When it comes to finding available Canadian pilots, we do not feel airlines are doing enough. Simply put, it is improper for airlines to characterize an attraction and retention issue as a pilot shortage. For example, some of the airlines seeking temporary foreign workers have hired over 100 pilots since the post-COVID recovery began, while only growing their total number of pilots by as little as 10 or 20. This is because of the number of pilots leaving for better jobs elsewhere.
Furthermore, we must ensure that our union's collective bargaining rights are not undermined by Canadian companies relying on TFWs, foreign wet leases and improper partnerships with foreign operators.
I very much appreciate this opportunity to address you today, but to date there has been little to no meaningful dialogue between the government and aviation labour organizations regarding the pilot supply issue.
Since 2012, ALPA Canada has advocated a long-term solution to address the pilot supply in Canada. Our recommendations to the government include support for flight schools to increase capacity to train pilots, ensuring that access to financing for training is similar to financial assistance for students seeking other professions and actively participating in attracting Canadians to the industry.
In conclusion, airlines should bargain with adequate incentives to attract those Canadian pilots who have left the country or the workforce entirely before any request for foreign pilots is made. The federal government needs to take an active role in the training and retention of Canadians by aligning federal funding support for the education required to become an airline pilot with that of other highly skilled professions. The federal government must also make aviation education more accessible to minorities and under-represented groups so that our aviation workforce reflects the communities and customers our industry serves.
ALPA remains a resource in the management of aviation safety and in the sustainability of our industry. We look forward to working together with you to ensure a safe, strong and competitive airline industry in Canada.
Thank you very much. I look forward to your important questions.