westjet flight attendants in position to walk off job sunday morning
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in the coming days, westjet may interrupt one of the busiest travel times of the year.
a work stoppage looms for flight attendants at canada’s second-largest carrier after their union issued a 72-hour strike notice thursday morning.
a work stoppage looms for flight attendants at canada’s second-largest carrier after their union issued a 72-hour strike notice thursday morning.
“we have been clear about what needs to change, and we have worked hard to reach a fair deal,” said alia hussain, president of cupe 8125. “the strike notice does not mean flight attendants want to go on strike. cupe 8125 has been clear throughout negotiations that its goal is to reach a fair agreement without disrupting passengers or the travelling public.”
westjet responded to the union’s move by issuing a 72-hour lockout notice.
“these notices do not necessarily mean a labour disruption will occur,” westjet said in a statement posted on x on thursday morning.
union members voted 99% in favour of a strike. the voter turnout was 97%. the cabin crew could go on strike as soon as 2:01 a.m., et on sunday. cupe represents approximately 4,400 workers in this dispute.
the core of the disagreement revolves around unpaid groundwork, compensation rates, and the airline’s credit hour system.
the union says cabin crews perform as much as 35 hours per month of uncompensated or underpaid groundwork. cupe wants compensation for all hours worked from the moment crews report in for duty.
the airline backed its current “credit hour” model. this mode of compensation blends flight time, ground duties and delays into a per hour pay rate of anywhere between $28.88 to $53.61 per credit hour. this model is a standard industry practice.
the latest
on friday, the airline began the process of parking some of its 737 aircraft.
“this necessary step allows the airline to maintain operational control and protect the integrity of the broader network,” the airline said in a statement. “most importantly, this proactive measure minimizes the risk of stranding guests and aircraft.”
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how does a strike affect travelers?
westjet says that travelers booked on regional service or shared flights run by affiliate partners would not be affected by the strike action.
westjet offered travelers, who booked into flights between july 30 and aug. 4, a one-time change or cancellation with zero fees. if delays or cancellations occur, the airline said affected passengers will be refunded or re-accommodated.
but be careful as not all bookings are alike. some travelers are entitled to refunds in the original form of payment, while others are entitled to travel credits only.
the airline said travelers who booked with westjet will be notified of any changes through their booking information. those who booked through a third-party, like a travel agent, should contact the travel agent directly.
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what the numbers say
in august 2025, more than 10,000 air canada flight attendants hit the picket lines after failing to get compensation for groundwork, one of the key issues in their strike mandate.
less than half a day later, the federal government ordered employees back to work. the union defied the order, and the labour board declared the strike unlawful. air canada then agreed to a tentative deal. in september of last year, the union rejected the wage offer, and the standoff went to arbitration. they two sides came to an agreement in february.
at the time, flight attendants received half their hourly wage rate for 60 minutes of ground time on narrow-body aircraft and 70 minutes on wide-body planes. the rate increased to 60% of the hourly wage rate in april. the rate will increase to 65% in 2027 and 70% in 2028.
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