WestJet flight attendants have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action, raising the possibility of major disruptions during Canada’s August long weekend if contract talks fail.
About 4,400 cabin crew represented by CUPE Local 8125 backed the strike with 99.4 percent support. If no agreement is reached, flight attendants could legally walk off the job as early as August 2, while WestJet would also have the option to impose a lockout after the federal cooling-off period ends.
The dispute centres on pay and working conditions. The union argues that flight attendants are not compensated for duties such as boarding, deplaning and ground delays, while WestJet maintains its current credit-hour pay model fairly covers all hours worked and says it is open to discussing changes.
WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech acknowledged that the current contract, signed during the pandemic, requires significant improvements, but stressed that any new agreement must remain financially sustainable.
Despite the strike mandate, both the airline and the union say negotiations are continuing in an effort to reach a deal and avoid disruption to passengers.
