WestJet Flight Attendants Go On Strike Over Pay Dispute, Over 300 Flights Cancelled In Canada

Flight attendants at Canada’s second largest airline WestJet began a strike on Sunday after contract talks with the company failed, disrupting travel during the busy August long weekend. The strike by around 4,400 cabin crew members represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has forced the airline to cancel more than 300 flights and affected thousands of passengers.

The dispute centres on pay for ground duties performed by flight attendants before and after flights. The union says workers are not fully compensated for tasks such as boarding preparations, safety checks and other duties carried out while on the ground. WestJet argues that these responsibilities are already covered through its “credit hour” pay system rather than a traditional hourly wage.

CUPE said negotiations failed to produce an agreement and authorised strike action. The union has been pushing for a contract that recognises all working time, from reporting for duty until completing assigned responsibilities.

WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said the airline had offered a proposal that included an hourly wage covering work before and after flights, along with a double digit wage increase in the first year. However, the offer was rejected by the union.

The airline said it cannot operate scheduled flights using its Boeing 737 and Boeing 787 aircraft during the strike period. Passengers affected by cancellations will be offered refunds or alternative travel arrangements. WestJet said customers who booked directly would be contacted through email, while those using travel agents or third party platforms should contact them.

Regional flights operated by WestJet Encore’s Q400 aircraft and partner operated code share services remain unaffected.

The strike follows similar action involving flight attendants at Air Canada last year, when a labour dispute over ground duty pay disrupted travel for more than 100,000 passengers before an agreement was reached.

Canadian Labour Minister Patty Hajdu expressed disappointment over the dispute and urged both sides to continue negotiations to resolve the issue.