WestJet flight attendants go on strike¶
Canada’s second-largest carrier cancels hundreds of flights as cabin crew walk off the job.
Flight attendants at Canada’s WestJetwent on strike shortly after midnight on Sunday 2 August after the two sides failed to reach a deal at the bargaining table.
Some 4,400 cabin crew represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) are seeking pay for time spent working while an aircraft is on the ground, including during boarding. Unions at several major airlines, includingAir Canada,have recently won pay for this time at lower rates than their usual hourly pay during flight.
“We tried until the very last minute to get a fair deal that recognises the value of the work cabin crews do,” says president of CUPE Local 8125 Alia Hussain. “WestJet’s offer did not go far enough.”
WestJet says it has agreed in concept to additional pay for boarding time and time after flights, as well as a “double-digit wage rate increase in the first year”, and other “quality of life improvements”.
As of Sunday morning local time, WestJet had cancelled around 495 flights, according to FlightAware. Earlier in the weekend, it began parking planes to wind down its network and “minimise the risk of stranding guests and aircraft.”Subscribe to gain access to all newsAlready have a subscription?Log in.Choose your subscriptionConsidering a corporate subscription?Contact usto find out more.
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