WestJet flight attendants escalate contract dispute

A WestJet logo is seen in the domestic check-in area at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on Friday, May 19, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

WestJet flight attendants are escalating a contract dispute with their employer after more than seven months of negotiations.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 8125 represents approximately 4,400 WestJet cabin personnel.

On Monday, the union announced that it had issued a formal notice of dispute after failing to reach a new collective agreement since bargaining began in September 2025.

“Flight attendants are performing increasingly demanding work in a safety-sensitive environment, and we are some of the lowest paid in Canada,” CUPE 8125 president Alia Hussain said in a news release.

“Flight attendants have remained patient and professional throughout this process, but delays cannot continue.”

Despite meeting multiple times each month since September, the union says the main sticking point with the airline is the approximately 35 hours of unpaid work it says flight attendants are required to perform each month. According to CUPE, many flight attendants in Canada are generally not paid their regular hourly wages during boarding, pre-flight safety checks and other delays.

“The system that governs our compensation was built for a different time, and it no longer reflects the value of work being done today,” Hussain said.

“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.”

‘Intervention of a neutral party’

By issuing a notice of dispute, the union is essentially asking Canada’s labour minister to provide neutral third-party assistance to help the two sides resolve their differences.

“A notice of dispute is a formal written notification advising the Minister of Labour that the parties to a collective agreement have reached an impasse in their efforts to enter into, renew or revise a collective agreement and that the intervention of a neutral party is needed,” Employment and Social Development Canada explains on its website.

“When a notice of dispute has been served, the Minister has the option to appoint a conciliation officer, a conciliation commissioner, establish a conciliation board or choose to not provide assistance.”

A spokesperson for Employment and Social Development Canada told CTVNews.ca in a statement that the “notice of dispute has been received and will be processed according to the timelines and procedures outlined in the Canada Labour Code."

In a statement to CTV News, the Calgary-based airline said it has been actively engaged in the bargaining process since September.

“WestJet recognizes and values the critical role cabin crew play in ensuring the safety, comfort, and care of our guests on every flight and remains committed to a meaningful collective agreement that is also sustainable for WestJet’s future,” an airline spokesperson said via email.

“While we were surprised by the timing given the continuing progress at the table, conciliation is a common step in the labour negotiation process.”

‘A fair and sustainable agreement’

In addition to the issue of unpaid hours, CUPE 8125 is also seeking improvements to scheduling and work conditions. Instead of striking, the union says it would prefer to minimize impacts on travellers by reaching a negotiated agreement.

“We understand how important travel is, particularly as we approach the busy summer season,” Hussain said.

“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.”

WestJet disputes the union’s assertion that flight attendants are performing unpaid work, saying that so-called “ground time” is reflected in the current “credit hour system.”

“Rather than paying a lower hourly wage for every hour on duty, the credit hour system combines flight time, ground duties, delays, and other required work into a single, higher rate of pay,” WestJet explains on its website.

“All duty time — on the ground and in the air — is compensated according to the collective agreement.”

WestJet flight attendants’ current collective agreement expired on Dec. 31, 2025. According to the airline, the next round of contract negotiations are scheduled to take place in Calgary between May 4 and 7.

With files from The Canadian Press