WestJet Encore Cabin Crew Officially Begins Contract Negotiations

The union representing WestJet Encore cabin crew served a notice to bargain to the carrier on Thursday, alerting the airline that it is ready to negotiate a new collective agreement.

CUPE 8125 joins flight crews from mainline WestJet who have been bargaining since September 2025. Under Canadian law, the two sides are required to meet within the next few weeks to begin bargaining in good faith.

The union’s bargaining is focused on three priorities: compensation for time spent boarding, during delays, and performing pre-flight work; more predictable schedules for better work-life balance; and wage increases to match inflation.

“WestJet mainline flight attendants have been in bargaining since September 2025, raising many of the same core issues of unpaid work, scheduling, and fair compensation,” CUPE 8125 President Alia Hussain said. “Encore flight attendants are now joining that push to ensure that all cabin crew across the company are treated fairly and compensated for the full scope of their work.”

For travelers, the news does not have an immediate impact. There is no current threat of a walkout, and a strike can only occur much later in the process after several legal steps, such as mediation and a strike vote, are exhausted. Such a development might not come to a head until late May or June.

There has been some progress on a deal between WestJet mainline crew members and the airline. The parties have reached an agreement in principle on several administrative and nonmonetary articles, including union recognition, probation, and ad hoc assignments. Other points, such as rates of pay, benefits, and scheduling, have either not been addressed or remain in active discussion.