Approximately 4,400 WestJet flight attendants across the country are now on strike after talks broke down between the airline and CUPE 8125.
It means cancellation of flights for tens of thousands of passengers.
In a statement Sunday morning, the airline says they are disappointed to share the news that as of 12:01 a.m., fights have been suspended.
“We deeply regret the impact this is having on our guests travel plans,” says the statement.
WestJet says the proposal would set a new standard for cabin crew in Canada, making them the only airline that would pay when members are not in the air.
“Addressing the union’s priorities around compensation, by making WestJet the only airline in Canada to offer an hourly rate, covering all times before and after flights, plus a double-digit wage increase in one year among other priorities the union raised,” says WestJet.
For the latest information:
— WestJet (@WestJet) August 2, 2026
• Flight status: https://t.co/YsnKCEQvc7
• Travel advisories: https://t.co/v7tbd6msbF
• Newsroom announcement https://t.co/Cf6PRim2Zg pic.twitter.com/cfG2qVtllG
The union issued its own statement Sunday morning.
“We tried until the very last minute to get a fair deal that recognizes the value of the work cabin crews do,” said CUPE 8125 president Alia Hussain. “WestJet’s offer did not go far enough.”
Hussain said the union is on strike because members believe they deserve better.
She added CUPE is ready to return to the negotiating table to settle, and the union hopes the federal government will not interfere and let the bargaining process continue.
Hussain also said WestJet could have avoided this situation.
“We would not be here if they had taken our concerns seriously for almost 11 months of bargaining,” she said.
The airline and the union have been bargaining around the clock for days with wages and unpaid work key sticking points.
Minister of Jobs Patty Hajdu says she has been on the ground during bargaining over the last two days and says this development is disappointing.
But there is still hope.
“A strike or lockout does not mean an agreement can’t be reached; the expectation is that parties can and should come to an agreement at the bargaining table,” says Hadju.
