- Flight attendants at Canada's second-largest airline went on strike Sunday in a dispute over pay. The Canadian Union of Public Employees, representing 4,400 cabin crew, announced the strike.
- WestJet, a Delta Airlines partner, confirmed the strike and canceled more than 300 flights as of early Sunday, disrupting travel during a three-day weekend.
- Both sides said they were willing to resume negotiations; the airline said it could not operate scheduled Boeing 737 or 787 flights and would refund or re-accommodate travelers, contacting direct bookers by email.
- WestJet Encore flights on the Q400 and code-share flights operated by airline partners remained unaffected.
- A key issue was pay for ground duties: the union said some of that work is unpaid, while the company said staff were compensated through a credit hour system rather than an hourly rate.
- WestJet Group CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said WestJet proposed an hourly rate covering all time before and after flights plus a double-digit wage increase in year one, but the proposal was not accepted.
- Union chapter president Alia Hussain said negotiators tried until the very last minute to get a fair deal and that WestJet's offer did not go far enough.
WestJet flight attendants initiated a strike on Sunday, resulting in the cancellation of over 300 flights amid a pay dispute. The Canadian Union of Public Employees represents the 4,400 cabin crew members, who claim that certain ground duties remain unpaid.12310
Alia Hussain, president of the union chapter, stated, "Negotiators tried until the very last minute to get a fair deal that recognizes the value of the work cabin crews do." The union argues that the airline's compensation system, which uses a "credit hour" model, fails to adequately cover all time worked.891112
Alexis von Hoensbroech, CEO of the WestJet Group, countered that the airline had proposed a new standard for cabin crew pay, including an hourly rate for all time before and after flights and a double-digit wage increase in the first year. However, the proposal was not accepted.
The strike has disrupted travel plans during a busy three-day weekend in Canada, with WestJet unable to operate flights on its Boeing 737s or 787s. Passengers are being refunded or re-accommodated, while flights operated by WestJet Encore and code-share partners remain unaffected. Both parties have expressed willingness to resume negotiations to resolve the dispute.4567
“Union chapter president Alia Hussain, whose Canadian Union of Public Employees represents 4,400 cabin crew, said WestJet's offer did not go far enough, while CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech cited a proposed double-digit year-one raise covering all pre- and post-flight time. WestJet Encore Q400 and partner code-share flights remain unaffected.”
CBS News
