The Canadian Union of Public Employees represents the 4,400 cabin crew members within the airline. They announced the strike via their Facebook page, although no additional details were provided. By early Sunday, the company had already canceled over 300 flights, disrupting travel plans across Canada during a three-day weekend.
WestJet acknowledged the strike and emphasized its commitment to remaining available to negotiate with the union.
A central point of contention in the dispute revolves around compensation for work performed by flight attendants while on the ground. The union claims that some of this work is unpaid, whereas the company asserts that their employees are compensated through a “credit hour” system rather than an hourly wage.
“We put forward a proposal that aimed to establish a new benchmark for cabin crew in Canada, positioning WestJet as the sole airline to offer an hourly wage covering all time before and after flights, along with a significant wage increase in the first year among other key concerns raised by the union,” stated Alexis von Hoensbroech, CEO of the WestJet Group. “Regrettably, it was not accepted.”
The airline reported it could not operate any scheduled flights on Boeing 737s or 787s, and travelers would be refunded or rebooked. WestJet indicated that it would reach out directly via email to customers who booked with them, while those who reserved through travel agents or third-party platforms should contact them directly.
WestJet Encore flights operated on a Q400, as well as code-share flights handled by partner airlines, remain unaffected. Last summer, flight attendants at Air Canada, the country’s largest airline, disrupted the travel plans of more than 100,000 passengers during peak season due to a strike that also focused on the issue of ground work. That work stoppage lasted three days before a resolution was reached.
