Canadian airline WestJet and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE Local 8125) announced on Monday, August 3rd, that they have reached a preliminary agreement, officially ending the flight attendant strike action that began the day before.
According to reports from the Canadian Press, WestJet has not disclosed the details of the agreement, which still needs to be voted on and approved by the union members.
With around 4,400 flight attendants represented by CUPE, they have been seeking compensation for all actual working hours from when flight attendants start the boarding process to clocking out after their shift (covering pre-flight and post-landing periods).
The union issued a statement on Monday stating that if the agreement is approved, they will “improve the existing flight credit wage system by introducing a duty allowance to recognize the additional work required by cabin crew members” and increase the compensation for these duties.
Canadian Minister of Employment and Family Services, Patty Hajdu, confirmed this preliminary agreement on the X website, saying, “The federal government and Canadians welcome the news of the agreement reached at the negotiating table.”
This preliminary agreement puts an end to the flight attendants’ strike, which began on Sunday, leading to disruptions in the travel plans of many passengers during the busy summer travel season.
It is currently unclear when flights will fully resume. John Gradek, a lecturer at McGill University’s Aviation Management Department in Montreal, suggests that it may take several days.
Gradek pointed out that WestJet’s flight cancellations last weekend affected approximately 225,000 Canadians. He mentioned that the long August weekend, especially the holiday on Monday, is one of the busiest times for WestJet during the summer.
Shalene Dudley, CEO of Toronto travel agency Latitude Concierge Travel, expressed on Monday, “Today has been a mess. There are a lot of things that need to be sorted out.”
She advised affected Canadians to stay vigilant and keep abreast of the latest flight updates. “This is causing a lot of anxiety, especially for passengers with important events like weddings to attend,” she said.