WestJet flight attendants on strike as company suspends most bookings
WestJet flight attendants have initiated a strike following the failure of last-minute contract negotiations, leading the airline to suspend most bookings until at least August 5. The dispute centers on compensation for ground-based work duties.
Why it matters
The strike causes significant travel disruption for thousands of passengers and highlights ongoing labor tensions in the aviation industry.
A strike by WestJet flight attendants is underway after last-minute negotiations failed to lead to a new collective agreement.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) local 8125, which represents about 4,400 WestJet flight attendants, confirmed its members were on strike.
“Our bargaining committee worked until the strike deadline last night to try and get a deal with WestJet,” Cameron Jones, reporting secretary for CUPE local 8125, said in a press conference Sunday in Calgary. “Unfortunately, that wasn’t able to happen.”
He went on to say that despite no deal being reached and its members now on strike, the bargaining committee was back at the table to try and reach an agreement.
The job action comes after the union issued a strike notice last week, which saw the company issue its own lockout notice.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in