Flights canceled as WestJet flight attendants go on strike in dispute over pay

Flight attendants with WestJet, Canada’s second-largest airline, went on strike Sunday in a dispute over pay.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents the 4,400 cabin crew on the airline, introduced the strike on its Facebook web page. WestJet, which is a Delta Airlines accomplice, confirmed the strike and canceled greater than 300 flights as of early Sunday, snarling journey plans in Canada in the course of a three-day weekend.

A key subject within the dispute was how flight attendants must be paid for duties carried out whereas nonetheless on the bottom. The union mentioned a few of that work is unpaid, whereas the corporate mentioned its workers was certainly compensated, citing pay by means of a “credit hour” system slightly than an hourly charge.

“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 among other priorities the union raised,” mentioned Alexis von Hoensbroech, CEO of the WestJet Group. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t accepted.”

Alia Hussain, president of the union chapter that represents the cabin crew, mentioned negotiators “tried until the very last minute to get a fair deal that recognizes the value of the work cabin crews do.”

“WestJet’s offer did not go far enough,” Hussain mentioned.

Both sides mentioned they had been prepared to renew negotiations to succeed in an settlement.

The airline mentioned it couldn’t function any of its scheduled flights on Boeing 737s or 787s, and vacationers will likely be refunded or re-accommodated. WestJet mentioned it will contact individuals who reserved with them straight through e mail, whereas those that booked by means of a journey agent or third-party platform ought to attain out to them.

WestJet Encore flights operated on a Q400, in addition to code-share flights operated by airline companions, stay unaffected.

Last summer time, flight attendants at Air Canada, the nation’s largest provider, stranded greater than 100,000 vacationers throughout peak journey season with a strike partly over the identical subject of groundwork. That work stoppage lasted three days earlier than the edges got here to an settlement.

In: