Porter Airlines and the Canadian Airline Dispatchers Association (CALDA) announced a tentative collective agreement on January 17, 2026, at 8:23 am. This announcement follows close to five months of high-level negotiations. Tensions were at their peak last month when 35 dispatchers voted unanimously to authorize a strike. In addition to managing day-to-day flight operations, these dispatchers manage Porter’s domestic, transborder and international networks.
The announcement is an important step toward finally ending more than five years of stalled contract talks between the airline and its dispatchers. We expect that the tentative agreement will address the main issues that dispatchers raised. These specialists are instrumental in ensuring the safety and efficiency of civil aviation flight operations and are indispensable to many communities throughout the country.
As of December 2025, the dispatchers had been vocal about bad working conditions for some time, and the strike mandate vote was a response to those conditions. The outcome of that vote underscored the urgency for both parties to reach a resolution before any potential disruption to flight operations occurred.
The update regarding the tentative agreement was made public shortly after the initial announcement, at 8:29 am on the same day. Mark Yezovich, the national president of CALDA, pointed to the collaborative, coalition-building approach of the negotiations in his victory statement.
“This agreement reflects meaningful progress and a shared commitment to moving forward in a productive and respectful manner.” – Mark Yezovich, the national president of the Canadian Airline Dispatchers Association
Neither party – including high-ranking officials from Porter Airlines – described their outlook on the negotiations as anything but rosy. They were adamant about their desire to see “fair and meaningful proposals” that get the airline and its workers to the right place.
The tentative agreement still must be ratified by the dispatchers. If approved, this decision will put to rest the most immediate controversies over labor disputes. It will ensure better working conditions for the dispatchers, who are integral to the airline’s safety and efficiency.
