Air Canada pilots say they have voted overwhelmingly to approve a strike mandate, putting them in a position to walk off the job as early as Sept. 17.

The Air Line Pilots Association, which represents more than 5,400 aviators at the country’s largest carrier, says the vote passed by 98 per cent on Thursday.

The employees have been negotiating with Air Canada since June 2023, with ongoing talks overseen by a federal conciliator.

That process is slated to wrap up this Monday, followed by a 21-day cooling-off period.

Charlene Hudy, head of the union’s Air Canada contingent, says the vote sends “a clear message to management” that pilots are willing to take job action to secure a better contract.

Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau told analysts earlier this month that both sides were in agreement on several points and that he hopes to reach a deal in the coming weeks.