WestJet strike ends after tentative deal reached

The strike by WestJet flight attendants has ended after a tentative agreement was reached overnight.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) local 8125 and WestJet announced they reached a tentative agreement early Monday morning at 4:15 a.m. Mountain time.

“This tentative agreement represents meaningful progress. It evolves the flight credit system by recognizing more of the work cabin crew are required to perform and with general increases to compensation for that work,” CUPE local 8125 president Alia Hussain said in a news release Monday. “Most importantly, this agreement was achieved through collective bargaining at the negotiating table.”

“We are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement that reflects the hard work and professionalism our cabin crew,” said WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech.

CUPE members went on strike just after midnight Mountain Time Sunday when last-minute talks failed.

Earlier this week, the union issued strike notice with the earliest a strike could take place set for Sunday. The company, in response, issued lockout notice.

The dispute centred largely on compensation for work performed on the ground, including boarding passengers, completing safety checks and managing delays.

Neither side outlined details of the agreement, but the company on Sunday released details of a offer it said it had put forward.

It included a 13 per cent pay increase effective Oct. 1 and retroactive to Jan. 1, 2026. This would be followed by 2.5 per cent increases annually to 2029.

The offer also included what it called a “duty pay premium.” The airline defined this as a payment for all duty hours, “additional pay for all hours worked designed to solve the union’s claim of unpaid work,” which it claims is equivalent to another 12 per cent salary increase.

WestJet began winding down jet flights on Saturday and suspended all of its 737 and 787 flights on Sunday. According to the company, the suspension was to last at least until Aug. 6, though the grounding could be extended.

Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu hailed the settlement in a statement Monday.

“The federal government and Canadians welcome the news that the parties have reached a deal together, at the bargaining table,” she said in a post on X.

Flights aren’t expected take off immediately, even with the strike over.

“We know this disruption has been frustrating for our guests and WestJetters and we’re sorry for that,” said von Hoensbroech in the Monday statement. “Our teams are working hard to restore service and get our guests on their way to their destinations as quickly as possible and we appreciate everyone’s patience as we get back to normal.”

Ian Lee, a professor of management at the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University, said there’s a process before the airline can resume a full schedule.

“It’s very, very disruptive because they incur all kinds of costs,” he told Global News. “When the strike ends, people don’t send the plane back out on the runway.”

He noted the airline is subject to “elaborate” safety rules and regulations, including rechecking every plane and its parts.

Toronto Pearson International Airport said that as of 7 a.m. Eastern Monday morning, all WestJet flights out of the airport remained suspended. It also advised passengers to contact WestJet directly for latest information.

WestJet said when the strike began that its Encore flights would continue to operate.

While the strike is over, the union will still need to take the tentative agreement to its members to be voted on. The union said members should refer to their email for more details.

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