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The union representing 4,400 flight attendants at WestJet says it is “focused on reaching a deal” with the airline as a strike and lockout loom going into the long weekend, a spokesperson for the union said Friday.
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.
“As of early this morning the bargaining committee was still focussed on reaching a deal and avoiding a strike,” a CUPE spokesperson told Global News in an emailed statement Friday.
In an update on Friday, WestJet said they “remain in active bargaining sessions” with the union.
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.
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However, CUPE clarified Thursday that a “strike notice does not mean flight attendants want to go on strike.”
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.
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
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