A strike by WestJet flight attendants is underway after last-minute negotiations failed to lead to a new collective agreement.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) local 8125, which represents about 4,400 WestJet flight attendants, confirmed its members were on strike.
“We tried until the very last minute to get a fair deal that recognizes the value of the work cabin crews do,” said Alia Hussain, CUPE 8125 President. “WestJet’s offer did not go far enough.”
The job action comes after the union issued a strike notice last week, which saw the company issue its own lockout notice which is also in effect.
WestJet began winding down its jet flights on Saturday, and officially suspended all air travel bookings due to the job action. According to the company, the suspension goes until Aug. 5, though if a deal isn’t reached before then it’s expected to last longer.
The airline says Encore flights continue to operate.
The dispute centres largely on compensation for work performed on the ground, including boarding passengers, completing safety checks and managing delays.
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Barry Eidlin, a sociology professor and labour expert at McGill University, said WestJet flight attendants are generally paid only while an aircraft is in the air, even though delays have become increasingly common.
Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu said in a statement early Sunday morning that it was a “disappointing development.”
“A strike or lockout does not mean an agreement can’t be reached, the expectation is that parties can and should come to an agreement at the bargaining table,” Hajdu said.
She added that the federal government is urging both sides to come to a deal.
How could my upcoming flight be affected?
The Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), set by the Government of Canada and administered by the Canadian Transportation Agency, ensure travellers are given alternative travel arrangements or compensation where applicable, but the specifics depend on who is making the changes and when.
If a strike happens, the airline said Friday it would first be “managing changes and cancellations, to ensure the ability to communicate with guests in advance of changes.”
According to the WestJet, people with travel booked between July 30 and Aug. 4 will be able to make a one-time change or cancellation at no additional cost.
Should a strike lead to flight delays or cancellations, “impacted guests will be refunded or reaccommodated, as applicable.”
As required by the air passenger rights legislation, passengers “may be eligible for compensation if a cancellation results in a delay which causes you to arrive 3 or more hours late at your final destination.”
Under the terms of the rules, if WestJet makes a cancellation or schedule change as the result of a labour disruption, that is considered to be outside of the carrier’s control and triggers a specific set of rights that must be met for passengers depending on the circumstances.
If a flight is cancelled or delayed by three hours or more because of a strike, WestJet must provide clear information in a timely manner and passengers must be offered alternate travel arrangements. Those arrangements may also require the air carrier to provide meal vouchers and accommodations.
Barry Choi, a travel expert at the moneywehave.com, told Global News the airline has to rebook passengers on the next available flight from either its own fleet or a partner.
But it might not work for everyone, he added.
“The problem is we’re already hearing reports of people getting a new flight that doesn’t work for them, it’s going to be cancelled against because maybe it’s later in the day or tomorrow morning,” he said. “People have places to be and they’re certainly concerned but overall, they might have to take matters into their own hands.”
That comes at a risk though. Under the APPR, whether cancellations are made before or after a strike occurs, if a passenger decides they want to cancel or modify their booking before WestJet cancels their flight, they’re no longer protected by the terms of the legislation if the flight is cancelled after.
—with files from Global News’ Prisha Dev and Ariel Rabinovitch
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