“Insufficient Progress”: WestJet Flight Attendants Formalize Notice of Dispute

Flight attendants at WestJet have issued a formal notice of dispute after what they are calling insufficient progress on key issues in the last seven months of negotiation.

About 4,400 cabin workers are represented by CUPE 8125 at WestJet mainline, and the union says they have met multiple times with the airline each month since last September in an effort to reach a new collective agreement.

A statement on the CUPE website says the centre of the dispute is a “growing gap between the work flight attendants are required to perform and the outdated system that determines how that work is compensated.”

“Flight attendants are performing increasingly demanding work in a safety-sensitive environment, and we are some of the lowest paid in Canada”, said Alia Hussain, president of CUPE 8125. “The system that governs our compensation was built for a different time, and it no longer reflects the value of work being done today.”

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, flight attendants work 35 hours every month unpaid.

The union is also seeking improvements to scheduling and basic working conditions that support a safe and sustainable operation.

“Flight attendants have remained patient and professional throughout this process, but delays cannot continue,” Hussain added. “We are looking for meaningful progress at the table on issues that affect our members and their ability to provide reliable service for our guests.”

CUPE 8125 emphasized that its goal is to achieve a negotiated agreement and minimize any impact on travellers.

“We understand how important travel is, particularly as we approach the busy summer season,” said Hussain. “Our focus is on securing a fair and sustainable agreement that reflects the realities of the job and the value of the work being done every day.”

The union is calling on WestJet to engage meaningfully at the bargaining table to address these concerns.