All scheduled WestJet flights are in operation today after a one-day flight attendant strike resulted in multiple cancellations earlier in the week, the airline says.
The Calgary-based airline was forced to cancel 925 flights between Aug. 1 and 4, after failing to reach a new contract with the flight attendants’ union over the Civic Holiday long weekend.
Aug. 5 was the first full day that no cancellations were announced.
“WestJet is operating all its scheduled flights today, while our teams continue working to reaccommodate guests impacted by the disruption,” the airline said in a statement to The Epoch Times. “We sincerely thank our guests for their patience, flexibility and understanding as we continue our recovery, and we look forward to welcoming them onboard.”
The highest number of cancellations was recorded on Aug. 2, when all 494 planned WestJet flights had to be aborted after more than 4,000 flight attendants walked off the job, according to data from aviation analytics company Cirium.
Another 305 flights were scrapped on Aug. 3, despite the company reaching a tentative agreement with the union. WestJet said there would be a gradual resumption of operations and by the following day only 16 flights were cancelled.
The airline and the WestJet Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) reached a tentative agreement during the early morning hours of Aug. 3, and both the strike and the company’s lockout notice were immediately rescinded.
CUPE Local 8125 said the proposed agreement helps to address what the union described as faults in the airline’s “credit hour” system, saying cabin crew was not being compensated for roughly 35 hours of on-the-ground work each week.
CUPE 8125 President Alia Hussain said the airline has agreed to introduce a duty period premium that recognizes more of the work flight attendants are required to perform and increases compensation for that work. The deal must now be presented to union members for their review and ratification vote.
A joint statement from CUPE National President Mark Hancock, CUPE National Secretary-Treasurer Candace Rennick, and CUPE Airline Division President Wesley Lesosky praised the deal, noting that more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants achieved a similar deal after striking last summer.
“We are proud of the standard that CUPE flight attendants at Air Canada and WestJet have now set at bargaining tables in successive years—and we expect that trend to continue,” they said. “Our campaign to end unpaid work for all flight attendants at every airline across Canada is not over. We will not stop until every hour worked is an hour paid.”
WestJet has not disclosed specific details of the tentative agreement, but CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said the airline is “pleased to have reached a tentative agreement that reflects the hard work and professionalism of our cabin crew.”
