As the union representing 4,400 WestJet flight attendants readies to strike as early as Sunday, the airline said Friday that it had begun parking its fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft in anticipation of a work stoppage.
The WestJet component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) issued a 72-hour strike notice to the airline Thursday, to which WestJet responded with a lockout notice.
“At this time, negotiations have not resulted in an agreement and as a labour disruption approaches, WestJet must begin the difficult process of parking 737 aircraft,” WestJet said in a statement on Friday afternoon.
“This necessary step allows the airline to maintain operational control and protect the integrity of the broader network,” the airline added.
It said, however, that it remained “active at the bargaining table to achieve a mutually agreeable deal at the earliest possible time.”
Earlier on Friday, a CUPE spokesperson told Global News that “the bargaining committee was still focused on reaching a deal and avoiding a strike.”
If a negotiated agreement on a new contract can’t be reached by Aug. 2 at midnight mountain time, those unionized flight attendants could walk off the job.
However, CUPE clarified Thursday that a “strike notice does not mean flight attendants want to go on strike.”
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WestJet said it doesn’t anticipate any immediate impact to air travel, but that could change if an agreement isn’t reached by the deadline.
The airline said it “continues to operate normally” while negotiations continue; however, it said guests travelling between Thursday, July 30, and Tuesday, Aug. 4, can make a one-time change or cancellation at no additional cost.
This is being done to offer “added flexibility” to passengers, the airline said.
“Should flight delays or cancellations occur, impacted guests will be refunded or reaccommodated, as applicable,” WestJet said in a statement Thursday.
The airline will reach out via email to customers who booked directly on the WestJet website, while those who booked through a third-party platform or travel agent are being asked to contact them in the event of a work stoppage, WestJet said.
Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu expressed hope that the parties will reach a deal at the bargaining table.
“Canadians expect them to stay at that table and get a deal. The best deals are the ones that the parties arrive at together,” Hajdu told reporters Friday.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said the workers’ demands were “very fair.”
“I’m on the side of paying workers for every minute they work. When most people show up for a job, when they set foot in the door and the clock starts ticking, they get paid. The airline attendants are not paid for the grounded time,” Poilievre told reporters Friday.
What are the sticking points?
On Thursday, the union said “The parties remain too far apart on several key issues,” however it said some progress was made during the bargaining process.
One of the core issues in negotiations is the same one that led to a three-day strike last summer by Air Canada flight attendants.
The WestJet cabin crew involved in the collective action are “seeking an end to the unfair practice of unpaid work,” CUPE said.
“Essential duties before boarding, during delays, emergency evacuations, and after arrival are not fully compensated. Flight attendants are responsible for safety from the moment they report to work, and not just when the aircraft moves,” a CUPE spokesperson told Global News Thursday.
“Some flight attendants are making below minimum wage when you factor in their unpaid hours — in some cases up to 35 unpaid hours every month.”
The flight attendants’ union has said that because of the “archaic flight credit system” under which members are paid, flight attendants “end up working roughly 35 hours free per month.”
WestJet says the credit hour system is “the standard pay model for cabin crew across North America” and that “block hours start when the aircraft leaves the gate and end when it arrives at the gate.” One credit hour equals one flight time hour.
— with files from Global’s Adriana Fallico
These people should be paid, from the time boarding commences. Let’s go west jet, pay them and let’s avoid a disruption we do not need in these days, with everything else that’s going on.
Not sure why some companies allegedly expect their employees to work free. Wasn’t that abolished 90 years ago?
I understand. I see. Aldmcjjancn29477419