WASHINGTON, DC — The executive board of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) has approved by acclamation the merger between the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) and ALPA, the world’s largest pilots union.

Following the vote, the presidents of both organizations signed the merger agreement. Air Canada now becomes ALPA’s 40th pilot group, growing the association to more than 73,000 members.

“We are excited to welcome our colleagues at Air Canada to ALPA, and through this merger, we have reached another significant milestone in our work to advance the profession, keep flying safe, and promote the power of unionism. Together, our combined union will have greater strength in negotiating collective agreements, advancing pilots’ interests, and protecting labor rights,” said ALPA President, Capt. Jason Ambrosi. “Adding their voice to our collective strength unifies the profession in an enormous way.”

The merger agreement takes effect immediately, and all representation rights transfer from ACPA to ALPA with notification to the Canada Industrial Relations Board. The two sides reached a merger agreement in principle in March, and Air Canada pilots voted overwhelmingly to ratify the deal on May 1.

“This is a monumental time for Air Canada pilots,” said ACPA Master Elected Council chair First Officer Charlene Hudy. “By merging with ALPA, 95% of all professional Canadian pilots are represented by one union with one voice. With the collective strength of over 73,000 pilots in North America, we look forward to working toward a better future for the piloting profession and aviation industry as a whole.”

“Unity among all pilots is our greatest strength and today, Canadian pilots across the nation are unified with a strong voice. ALPA is committed to advancing the profession and aviation safety, and with the addition of our Air Canada colleagues, we have dramatically increased ALPA’s presence across the nation, making us stronger in negotiations and on Parliament Hill,” added Capt. Tim Perry, ALPA Canada president.

Air Canada employs more than 4,500 pilots.

The ALPA is currently in negotiations with WestJet. The round-the-clock talks between WestJet and the ALPA continue to intensify as the clock ticks down toward a Friday strike deadline.