WestJet flight cancellations mount as Sunday strike deadline approaches
Some travellers are heading into the long weekend on edge, as WestJet begins its first round of cancellations ahead of a possible strike by flight attendants.
The airline announced that a total of 198 flights have been cancelled as of Saturday afternoon. The company says the move is meant to prevent crew and passengers from getting stranded, and travellers should check their flight status before leaving for the airport.
“This action is in response to the union’s notice to strike and the inability to reach an agreement. WestJet’s most recent proposal was designed to be a transformative, industry-leading agreement for WestJet’s cabin crew, and directly addressed the key issues the union identified as its priorities,” a WestJet spokesperson said in a statement.
The union representing the flight attendants has said the proposal didn’t address all of their concerns.
If a deal is not reached by Sunday morning, either side could begin a work stoppage that would cancel hundreds of flights during a long weekend for much of the country.
WestJet says it is continuing to bargain with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents 4,400 flight attendants, in the hope of reaching an agreement on a new contract.
The union triggered a 72-hour strike notice that ends just after midnight Sunday in Calgary, where WestJet is headquartered, and the airline responded with a lockout notice on the same timeline.
That strike notice doesn’t commit flight attendants to taking job action but has proved worrisome for passengers who are left in limbo, unsure whether or not their flights will take off this weekend.
In emails obtained by CBC News, WestJet said it had put forward what it believes is the best agreement it could responsibly offer.
That includes what the company claims is a union proposal “for compensation before and after flights through duty premium payments,” which would be included in what WestJet describes as a cumulative wage increase of about 36 per cent over four years.
The company also says it offered scheduling improvements and better provisions for things like travel and hotels while flight attendants are away from home, according to one of the internal WestJet emails viewed by CBC News.
The union representing flight attendants told CBC News that the proposals don’t go far enough.
“We aren’t just bargaining a few things, we are seeking a comprehensive contract that reflects the priorities of our members,” CUPE WestJet Component president Alia Hussain said in an email.
Calleigh Gingras is a former flight attendant who has been a vocal critic on social media about issues within the airline industry. She says she is not shocked by news of a possible strike by WestJet flight attendants and that despite loving the job,…
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