Thousands of Canadian travelers are likely reconsidering their plans for the upcoming August long weekend following a decisive vote favoring a strike by WestJet flight attendants, with a resounding 99.4% in support. The confirmation of the yes vote on Wednesday indicates that approximately 4,400 union members represented by CUPE Local 8125 could potentially walk off the job on August 2. The participation rate in the vote stood at 97.3%, as per a CUPE representative who spoke to CBC News.
The prospect of a strike by mainline flight attendants poses a significant disruption to WestJet, Canada’s second-largest airline, just ahead of a statutory holiday in many provinces. WestJet also retains the option to lock out flight attendants starting from that date, irrespective of the strike mandate, due to the conclusion of a federal “cooling off” period. Both parties are required to provide a 72-hour notice period, meaning that travelers may have to wait until the end of the month to ascertain the status of their August flights.
Negotiations between WestJet and unionized flight attendants for the primary “mainline” flights have been ongoing since late 2025. The previous contract between the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the airline was effective from March 1, 2021, until the end of last year. WestJet’s CEO, Alexis von Hoensbroech, acknowledged that the age of the previous contract necessitates significant improvements in a potential new agreement.
Flight attendants at WestJet are compensated based on “credit hours” that can vary per flight depending on its duration. The airline justifies this payment structure by asserting that the “credit hour” wage is higher to account for additional duties during what may seem like unpaid hours. However, both WestJet and Air Canada unions argue that this method fails to consider flight delays or unforeseen circumstances where cabin crew are on duty but not flying.
The union contends that flight attendants are not fairly compensated, with an average of 35 unpaid hours per month for duties like assisting passengers with boarding and deplaning or handling ground delays. While the union accuses WestJet of using an outdated system, the airline defends it as a standard pay model across North America. WestJet has conducted a self-audit to refute claims of underpayment, citing only a few instances where minimum wage may not have been met due to employee modifications to their schedule.
In response to the strike vote, WestJet’s CEO expressed openness to revising the payment system, emphasizing the need for sustainable and financially viable changes. Despite the ongoing negotiations and the looming strike threat, both sides are committed to reaching a mutually beneficial agreement. While challenges remain in negotiations over flight attendants’ schedules and wages, progress has been made with 32 collective agreement items already agreed upon and another 35 articles in the works.
WestJet’s history of labor disputes includes a major conflict in the summer of 2024 when unionized airline mechanics went on strike over the Canada Day long weekend, impacting tens of thousands of travelers. The airline has assured passengers that negotiations are ongoing and a strike is not guaranteed despite the strike vote outcome.