WestJet flight attendants go on strike after talks fall through, grounding flights
The carrier had canceled 615 flights as of mid-morning Sunday, according to aviation analytics company Cirium.
On Sunday, flight attendants for Canada's WestJet embarked on a strike following failed negotiations with the nation's second-largest carrier. The action, which coincided with a busy summer travel period, led to the grounding of numerous flights and additional difficulties for cabin crews across North America. Around 250,000 passengers experienced canceled flights during a three-day holiday weekend in Canada, with more expected to be impacted depending on the duration of the strike.
The airline, which holds a 30% domestic market share and operates in the U.S., Caribbean, Central America, and Europe, had grounded 615 flights by mid-morning on Sunday, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. WestJet, majority-owned by Onex, is currently facing a labor dispute over pay for its 4,400 flight attendants, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
The union is demanding compensation for all hours worked, rather than just time spent in motion, and has previously staged a four-day work stoppage at larger rival Air Canada. Both parties reportedly attempted a last-minute resolution but were unable to reach an agreement. WestJet's Alia Hussain, president of the union's WestJet component, stated, "We are on strike because we believe we deserve better.
We are ready to go back to the table to settle." The airline proposed a 13% wage increase this year, followed by 2.5% annual raises through 2029, as well as additional pay for all hours worked, amounting to another 12% salary increase. However, a union representative did not immediately react to a Reuters inquiry regarding the airline's offer.
WestJet assured affected passengers that they would be refunded or reaccommodated, though some travelers reported challenges contacting customer service and confusion over next steps. Canada's Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu expressed disappointment with the situation, emphasizing that strikes or lockouts do not prevent agreements from being reached.
The Canadian government had previously intervened in the Air Canada strike last year, but flight attendants ultimately disregarded the intervention. The WestJet division of the union expressed hope that the Canadian government would not interfere in the ongoing negotiations.
Written by urgent.news from CNBC World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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