Air Canada's pilots have voted not to adopt a tentative collective bargaining agreement that included a proposal by the airline to create a new low cost carrier.

In a statement the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) said 67% of 98% eligible pilots voting rejected the deal.

Air Canada is in the midst of negotiating new collective bargaining agreements with all its unionised employee groups to replace concessionary agreements forged in 2009 as the carrier sought to restructure outside of formal creditor protection.

"The pilots have spoken," said Captain Paul Strachan, President of ACPA. "We must return to the bargaining table to address their concerns."

ACPA postponed a previous vote scheduled on the tentative agreement after determining some elements of the proposal were deemed controversial among the pilot group.

The union then rescheduled the vote after Air Canada "refused to consider changes to the tentative deal", said ACPA.

Now that voting has ended Strachan said the union has "some internal work to do, consulting with its members and preparing for the next round of bargaining".

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news