Ground pay at issue as WestJet, flight attendants near Sunday strike deadline
WestJet flight attendants represented by CUPE 8125 are poised to strike early Sunday after a 72-hour strike notice expires at 02:01 EST, potentially causing widespread disruptions ahead of a summer holiday weekend. The Calgary-based carrier, which serves more than 130 destinations in Canada and abroad, began proactively canceling flights Friday to minimize the risk of stranding passengers and aircraft.
The core issue dividing the sides is compensation for time spent on the ground before departure, known in the industry as ground pay. The union has argued that flight attendants currently receive no pay for boarding, safety sweeps, and ground delays, amounting to up to 35 unpaid hours per month. “Boarding, safety sweeps, assisting passengers, and ground delays are entirely on our dime,” the union said on its campaign website.
WestJet has defended its pay model, telling passengers that flight attendants are compensated under a credit-hour system that starts when the aircraft leaves the gate and ends when it arrives at the next gate. The airline described the system as “the standard pay model for cabin crews across North America.” According to WestJet, cabin crew earn between C$28 and C$58 per hour under that system.
Alia Hussain, president of CUPE 8125, said in a statement that the union’s goal is to reach an agreement without disrupting air travel. “We have been clear about what needs to change, and we have worked hard to reach a fair deal,” she said. The union issued the 72-hour notice earlier this week after members voted 99% in favor of a strike mandate last month.
In response to the potential strike, WestJet has said it will allow passengers with flights scheduled through Tuesday to cancel or change their itineraries at no extra fee. The airline also said that any cancellations or delays caused by the strike would result in refunds or rebooking. “Impacted guests will be refunded or re-accommodated, as applicable,” the airline said. WestJet Encore flights operated on Q400 aircraft and WestJet codeshare flights are not affected by the potential labor disruption, according to the carrier.
Under Canadian airline passenger protection rules, carriers are required to rebook passengers on the next available flight from their own fleet or a partner airline. If no seats are available, the airline must book the passenger with a competitor at no additional cost.