Flight attendants working for WestJet, Canada’s second-biggest airline, went on strike after their union and the carrier failed to reach a new contract deal — with pay as the key issue in the dispute.
Over 4,000 flight attendants walked off the job Sunday, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents 4,400 cabin crew at the carrier, announced on Facebook. WestJet canceled 309 flights as of early Sunday, disrupting travel plans during a three-day weekend in Canada.
The dispute centers around how flight attendants should be paid for duties performed while the plane is still on the ground. The union argues some of that work is unpaid, while WestJet says its staff is compensated through a “credit hour” system — instead of an hourly rate.
“We tried until the very last minute to get a fair deal that recognizes the value of the work cabin crews do,” said Alia Hussain, CUPE 8125 President. “WestJet’s offer did not go far enough.”
“We are on strike because we believe we deserve better. We are ready to go back to the table to settle. We hope the federal government will not interfere and will let the bargaining process run its course. Unpaid work is a big piece of our priorities, but we are bargaining a comprehensive contract.”
However, WestJet said in a statement that its proposal to the union “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.”
The airline also said it offered a double-digit wage increase among other priorities the union raised.
WestJet offers flights to over 100 cities across Canada, the U.S., Mexico and several other countries.
The airline said it could not operate any of its scheduled flights on Boeing 737s or 787s, and travelers will either be refunded or re-accommodated. Customers can expect to receive updates from WestJet via email.
Meanwhile, WestJet Encore flights operated on a Q400, as well as code-share flights operated by airline partners, will be unaffected.
The airline also canceled about 80 flights on Saturday as it wound down operations ahead of the strike, according to the Calgary Herald.
“As one of Calgary’s largest employers and key drivers of our economy, WestJet operates approximately 700 flights each day and carries more than 70,000 passengers daily,” Deborah Yedlin, president and CEO at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement.
“With a busy season of travel ahead, disruption to this essential service could impact as many as 250,000 travelers through the long weekend, with the negative repercussions being felt on Canada’s tourism economy and supply chain networks.”
Sources told CBC News that negotiations and bargaining were ongoing, even as flight attendants join picket lines outside Toronto’s Pearson Airport.
Last August, flight attendants with Air Canada, the country’s largest carrier, went on strike over similar issues, including pay. The Canadian government had intervened to stop the strike — but flight attendants later defied the order to return to work.
Over 100,000 customers were affected, with many left stranded during the three-day stoppage in service.
WestJet’s union says it hopes the Canadian government does not intervene with the bargaining process.
With reporting by the Associated Press
