WestJet Flight Attendants Launch Strike Over Pay Dispute

Flight attendants at WestJet, Canada's second-largest airline, went on strike in a dispute over wages and compensation, Cathy Bussewitz and Jim Morris reported for The Associated Press (AP).

WestJet flight attendants have commenced a nationwide strike over pay and compensation. [Photo: WestJet Facebok]

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents approximately 4,400 WestJet cabin crew members, announced the strike on its Facebook page.

WestJet confirmed the labor action and canceled 495 flights on Sunday, according to FlightAware, disrupting travel plans during Canada's three-day holiday weekend.

The airline said about 250,000 passengers were affected by the cancellations.

A key issue in the dispute is compensation for duties performed before takeoff and after landing.

The union argues that some of this work remains unpaid, while WestJet says employees are compensated through a credit-hour system rather than a traditional hourly wage.

"We presented a proposal that would have set a new standard for cabin crew in Canada, making WestJet the only airline to offer an hourly rate covering all time before and after flights, plus a double-digit wage increase in year one," said WestJet Group CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech.

The airline's proposal included a 13 percent wage increase, annual raises of 2.5 percent over the next three years, retroactive pay dating to January, and additional compensation for all hours worked.