Thousands of Canadian travelers will be reviewing their plans for the upcoming August long weekend as WestJet flight attendants have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike. The vote results, with 99.4% in support of a strike, were confirmed on Wednesday morning. About 4,400 union members represented by CUPE Local 8125 might go on strike legally on August 2. A spokesperson for CUPE informed CBC News that 97.3% of flight attendants participated in the voting process.
If a strike occurs by the mainline flight attendants, it would effectively ground WestJet, which is Canada’s second-largest airline, on the day before a statutory holiday in several provinces. WestJet could also choose to lock out flight attendants starting on that date, irrespective of the strike vote, due to the conclusion of a federal “cooling off” period. Both sides would need to provide a 72-hour notice, meaning Canadians may have to wait until the end of the month to know the status of their August flights.
Negotiations between WestJet and unionized flight attendants for mainline flights have been ongoing since late 2025. The previous contract between the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the airline was effective from March 1, 2021, until the end of last year. WestJet’s CEO, Alexis von Hoensbroech, acknowledged that the age of the previous contract is a significant factor necessitating potential “significant improvement” in a new deal.
Flight attendants at WestJet are paid based on a fixed amount of “credit hours,” which can vary depending on the flight duration. The airline justifies this payment model by stating that the “credit hour” wage compensates for additional duties during what may seem like unpaid hours. However, the union argues that this method does not account for flight delays or other unforeseen circumstances where cabin crew are on duty but not flying.
While CUPE points out discrepancies in flight attendant pay in relation to the federal minimum wage, WestJet published a self-audit indicating only a few instances where minimum wage compliance may have been an issue. The company attributed these instances to employee-initiated schedule modifications such as shift trades.
WestJet’s CEO expressed willingness to consider changes in the payment system, emphasizing the need for sustainability and financial viability for the airline. Despite the strike vote, negotiations are ongoing, with both sides striving for an agreement. WestJet sees the strike vote as a typical step in negotiations and assures that it does not guarantee a strike will happen.
Although other contentious issues remain unresolved, both sides have agreed on 32 collective agreement items, with 35 articles still under negotiation. WestJet faced a significant labor dispute in the summer of 2024 when unionized airline mechanics went on strike over the Canada Day weekend, impacting numerous travelers.
