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WestJet Flight Attendants Authorize Strike With 99.4% Yes Vote

The vote is meant to force changes to a credit‑hour pay system the union says leaves attendants unpaid, with strikes possible as early as Aug. 2 after 72 hours' notice.

A WestJet Boeing 787 enters the runway at Paine Field in Washington. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Bailey)
Just under a year after Air Canada flight attendants went on strike over the issue of unpaid work, unionized flight attendants at WestJet and WestJet Encore are threatening to do the same.
WestJet flight attendants hold a "Day of Action" while union members vote on a possible strike in Calgary, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Flight attendants are shown at a union rally outside WestJet's Calgary headquarters on Tuesday. The collective agreement covering the main WestJet flight attendants expired at the end of 2025.

Overview

  • CUPE Local 8125 announced Wednesday that about 4,400 WestJet and WestJet Encore flight attendants voted 99.4% in favour of a strike authorization to strengthen their bargaining position.
  • If the union gives notice, the earliest legally possible walkout is Sunday Aug. 2 because a federal cooling‑off period will end, and either side must provide 72 hours' notice before job action begins.
  • The core dispute is the airline’s credit‑hour pay model, which the union says produces roughly 35 unpaid hours a month for tasks such as boarding, deplaning and ground delays and can push some shifts below minimum wage.
  • WestJet defends the credit system, published a company self‑audit that found four possible minimum‑wage gaps in a small sample, and its CEO said the airline is open to sustainable changes while insisting attendants are paid for every hour worked.
  • Bargaining has run about 10 months with federal conciliation ending July 11, the parties have agreed on 32 contract items with roughly 35 still open, and travelers should watch for contingency planning and any government intervention like last year’s Air Canada dispute.