Flights canceled as WestJet flight attendants strike over pay dispute

WestJet, Canada's second-largest airline, faced a significant disruption to its operations on Sunday as over 300 flights were canceled due to a strike by its flight attendants. This action was taken in a dispute over pay and working conditions, with the Canadian Union of Public Employees representing the airline's 4,400 cabin crew members.

The strike, announced on Facebook, affected flights operated by WestJet, which is a partner of Delta Airlines. A key point of contention in the negotiations was the method of compensation for cabin crew duties performed while on the ground. The union argued that this work was unpaid, while WestJet maintained that it was compensated through a "credit hour" system, which includes time before and after flights.

Despite presenting a proposal that would have set a new standard for cabin crew pay, including a double-digit wage increase in the first year and hourly rates for all duties, the union was not satisfied with WestJet's offer. Alexis von Hoensbroech, CEO of the WestJet Group, expressed disappointment that the proposal was not accepted.

Alia Hussain, president of the union chapter representing the cabin crew, stated that negotiators had tried until the very last minute to reach a fair agreement recognizing the value of cabin crew work. Both parties indicated their willingness to resume negotiations to reach a resolution. As a result of the strike, WestJet was unable to operate flights on Boeing 737s or 787s, impacting mainly scheduled services.

Passengers on these routes were offered refunds or re-accommodation. WestJet Encore flights, operated on Q400s, as well as code-share flights with airline partners, remained unaffected. The airline assured travelers that they would be contacted via email for those who booked directly and directed those who booked through travel agents or third-party platforms to contact the relevant parties.

This strike echoes a similar dispute at Air Canada last summer, where more than 100,000 travelers were stranded during a three-day work stoppage over the same issue of groundwork compensation.