Flight attendants at WestJet, Canada’s second-largest airline, initiated a strike on Sunday due to disagreements over pay. The Canadian Union of Public Employees represents 4,400 cabin crew members at the airline and announced the strike on its Facebook page. WestJet confirmed this development, resulting in the cancellation of more than 300 flights as of early Sunday, disrupting travel plans during a three-day weekend in Canada.
A central issue in the dispute concerns how flight attendants are compensated for duties performed on the ground. The union claims some of this work goes unpaid, while WestJet contends its staff is remunerated through a ‘credit hour’ system instead of an hourly wage.
“We presented a proposal that would have set a new standard for cabin crew in Canada, making WestJet the only airline to offer an hourly rate covering all time before and after flights, plus a double-digit wage increase in year one among other priorities the union raised,” stated Alexis von Hoensbroech, CEO of the WestJet Group. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t accepted.”
Alia Hussain, president of the union’s cabin crew chapter, mentioned that negotiators “tried until the very last minute to get a fair deal that recognizes the value of the work cabin crews do.” Hussain expressed dissatisfaction, stating “WestJet’s offer did not go far enough.”
Both parties have expressed willingness to resume discussions to reach a mutually agreeable solution. The airline has informed passengers unable to fly on its Boeing 737s or 787s that they will receive refunds or alternative travel arrangements. WestJet will directly contact customers via email, while those who booked through agents or third-party services are advised to reach out accordingly.
WestJet Encore flights operated by Q400 aircraft, as well as code-share flights managed by airline partners, remain operational and unaffected by the strike.
Last summer, flight attendants at Air Canada, the nation’s largest airline, stopped work during peak travel season for similar reasons involving ground duty pay. That strike affected over 100,000 travelers and lasted three days before reaching resolution.
Jim Morris, Associated Press writer in Vancouver, British Columbia contributed to this report.
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