The union representing close to 4,400 flight attendants at WestJet say they have issued a 72-hour strike notice to the airline, to which WestJet responded with a lockout notice.
Both WestJet and CUPE Local8125, the union representing its flight attendants, issued statements Thursday morning confirming both the developments as a potential strike looms this long weekend.
“From the beginning, flight attendants have been clear about what they are fighting for. Unfortunately, the parties are still too far apart on some key issues,” the union said.
If a negotiated agreement on a new contract can’t be reached by Aug. 2 at 12:00 a.m. Mountain time, those unionized flight attendants could walk off the job.
“The strike notice does not mean flight attendants want to go on strike. CUPE 8125 has been clear throughout negotiations that its goal is to reach a fair agreement without disrupting passengers or the travelling public,” the union said.
WestJet said it doesn’t anticipate any immediate impact to air travel, but that could change if an agreement isn’t reached by the deadline.
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“WestJet today responded to a 72-hour strike notification from the union that represents WestJet Cabin Crew by issuing a lockout notice,” said WestJet.
“These notices do not immediately impact operations or mean that a labour disruption will occur. WestJet and CUPE are still actively negotiating to reach an agreement, avoiding impact to our guests.”
The airline says a work stoppage could occur as early as Aug. 2 at 12:01 a.m. Mountain time.
“The decision to issue a lockout notice, in response to the actions taken by the union, was not one that was made lightly. We sincerely regret the inconvenience and uncertainty this continues to cause for our guests,” said Alexis von Hoensbroech, CEO of the WestJet Group in a statement.
“We greatly value the work and contributions of our Cabin Crew, and it is our responsibility to ensure the integrity of our network and to minimize the risk of stranding our guests, crew and aircraft. Our commitment remains at the bargaining table, where we will continue to work around the clock to come to an agreement that provides value and meaningful improvements for our Cabin Crew and is sustainable for our company.”
If a strike occurs, WestJet says it “will take all necessary actions to manage the potential impacts as much as possible.”
Speaking in the CUPE 8125 statement, union president Alia Hussain said, “we have been clear about what needs to change, and we have worked hard to reach a fair deal,” adding: “there’s still time to avoid a strike.”
A core issue in negotiations is the credit hour system under which flight attendants are paid, which the union says amounts to unpaid work.
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