Overview
- The Canadian Union of Public Employees representing about 4,400 WestJet flight attendants served a 72‑hour strike notice that began late this week, and WestJet issued a matching 72‑hour lockout; a work stoppage could start as soon as Sunday if no agreement is reached.
- Both sides remain in intensive bargaining and have signed an operational wind‑down plan that spells out how to park aircraft, complete in‑flight trips, and return cabin crew home with hotel or travel arrangements where needed.
- WestJet has begun parking aircraft and put in place a one‑time change or cancel policy for passengers booked July 30 to Aug. 4 while it adjusts schedules to avoid stranded crews and planes.
- The core dispute centers on WestJet’s credit‑hour pay system that the union says leaves attendants unpaid for pre‑ and post‑flight ground work, a tension similar to last year’s Air Canada fight that led to government intervention.
- If flights are cancelled, federal passenger protections require rebooking or refunds and allow rebooking on other carriers, but travellers face practical limits finding alternate seats during a busy long weekend and could face short‑term extra costs.