WestJet begins flight cancellations ahead of strike
WestJet said it is negotiating with CUPE as 4,400 flight attendants prepare for a possible strike or lockout over ground-pay disputes.
- WestJet cancelled 81 flights for Saturday as a work stoppage looms for 4,400 flight attendants, with a 72-hour strike notice from the Canadian Union of Public Employees expiring Sunday at 12:01 a.m. MT.
- Compensation for ground duties remains the key stumbling block, mirroring previous Air Canada disputes; the union characterizes these duties as unpaid, while WestJet maintains its "credit hour" system provides a "single, higher rate of pay."
- Flight attendants approved a strike mandate with a 99 per cent vote on July 15, and CUPE held a nationwide "day of action" on July 14, including a rally at Calgary headquarters with some 250 attendants present.
- Passengers may change or cancel flights without fees for travel between July 30 and August 4, while under passenger protection rules, the airline must arrange alternate transportation on rival carriers if disruptions occur.
- Negotiations continue during the 72-hour notice period, though the long-weekend deadline complicates travel planning; if a deal remains elusive by Sunday, the cabin crew may initiate the work stoppage as planned.
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WestJet Cancels 86 Flights Ahead Of Possible Flight Attendant Strike
WestJet has begun cancelling flights ahead of a possible strike or lockout affecting flight attendants, saying it is reducing its schedule to avoid widespread disruptions if a work stoppage begins this weekend. The airline has started an “organized take-down” of its network and would begin issuing flight cancellations to customers, WestJet announced in a news release Friday evening. “To ensure the integrity of WestJet’s network, and to minimize …
WestJet Cancels 81 Flights Ahead of Announced Flight Attendant Strike
WestJet has cancelled 81 flights scheduled for Aug. 1 ahead of an announced strike by the airline’s flight attendants and after a lockout notice by the airline. Citing an inability to reach an agreement with Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 8125—the union representing cabin crew and flight attendants at WestJet and WestJet Encore—the airline issued the cancellations. “To ensure the integrity of WestJet’s network, and to minimize the ri…
'Everything's up in the air': Stranded passengers face uncertainty as WestJet cancels 81 flights ahead of possible strike
WestJet cancelled 81 flights Saturday as the airline winds down parts of its flight operations ahead of a possible flight attendant strike that could begin as early as Sunday.
WestJet begins flight cancellations ahead of strike
Aug 1 (Reuters) - WestJet said on Saturday it has begun cancelling flights in response to the CUPE union's notice to strike and has cancelled 86 flights. Canada's second-largest carrier said it remains at the bargaining table with the unio...
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