Are WestJet flight attendants going on a strike? What we know as strike vote opens

WestJet flight attendants have officially opened a strike vote today. Photo by Gavin Young/Postmedia

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WestJet flight attendants have officially opened a strike vote today that will continue until July 15, 2026, according to a public statement from CUPE.

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The union says it is seeking member support for a strike position, while negotiations continue under federal conciliation. The earliest date a legal strike or employer lockout could occur is August 2, 2026.

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“Our goal remains the same as it has been from the beginning: to reach a fair, negotiated, collective agreement,” Alia Hussain, president of CUPE 8125, is quoted as saying in the statement. “A strong strike mandate demonstrates that our members are united behind their bargaining committee and committed to achieving meaningful improvements.”

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At the centre of the dispute, reports Travel Week, is what the union is calling a widening gap between the work that flight attendants are required to perform and how that work is compensated. According to CUPE, flight attendants are responsible for passenger safety from the moment they report for duty, yet significant portions of that time are not fully compensated under the current system. On average, says CUPE, flight attendants work 35 hours every month unpaid.

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These grievances echo the complaints Air Canada’s flight attendants had when 10,000 of them went on strike last August, resulting in a three-day interruption of service by the airline and, later, a federal government probe into unpaid work.

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CUPE notes that a strike vote does not mean a strike will happen. Instead, members are simply authorizing strike action “should it become necessary at a later stage of the bargaining process.”

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Hussain said the union is “committed to reaching a negotiated settlement” and remains “focused on securing an agreement that recognizes the value of the work WestJet flight attendants perform every day.”

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The strike vote results will be released by CUPE 8125 after voting closes on July 15.

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