As WestJet’s flight attendants gear up to potentially strike as early as Sunday if an agreement is not finalized, travelers are getting ready for possible interruptions.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing 4,400 flight attendants at WestJet, announced a 72-hour strike notice early Thursday morning. In turn, WestJet issued its own 72-hour lockout notice.
While a strike notice does not obligate flight attendants to leave their posts, a union representative indicated that the negotiating parties remain significantly apart on several crucial matters.
This uncertainty has passengers like Ken Wallin concerned that their planned flights may be affected.
Wallin and his wife are scheduled to travel to Ireland for their 29th wedding anniversary on Monday. They have been saving for this trip since they were forced to cancel their previous vacation due to the pandemic.
The union representing 4,400 flight attendants at WestJet says it has issued a 72-hour strike notice, paving the runway for a possible strike during a busy summer travel season. WestJet, in a statement, said the airline responded to the union’s strike notice by issuing a 72-hour lockout notice. A strike could begin as soon as Aug. 2 if the two sides don’t reach a deal.
If the strike impacts their flight, it would mean yet another vacation cancellation for the couple.
“It’s eight, nine months of planning and a lifetime of waiting … all going to waste,” Wallin expressed.
He has considered booking with another airline, but has found it challenging to locate any direct flights at a reasonable price. Although WestJet is permitting passengers with bookings from July 30 to Aug. 4 to change or cancel without penalties, Wallin is only eligible for a travel credit, which is not ideal for him as an infrequent flyer.
“We are just hoping it all turns out positively in the end,” Wallin remarked.
-
WestJet flight cancellations mount as Sunday strike deadline approaches
-
WestJet allowing passengers to change or cancel certain flights due to threat of strike
However, for other travelers like Armin Ataee, missing a flight is not an option. Ataee traveled to Edmonton to see his parents without any issues, but he had to rebook his return flight to Vancouver with a different airline to ensure he could catch another flight out of Vancouver early next week for a conference.
He accepted the WestJet credit but had to spend an additional $200 for the last-minute booking back to Vancouver.
“In the end, it was preferable to losing everything,” Ataee said regarding the credit. “Yet there is frustration because I believed I would at least receive a cash refund.”
Travellers can rebook or wait
WestJet reaffirmed in their Thursday statement that some passengers can still change or cancel their flights at no cost.
However, only passengers with certain booking types are eligible for refunds back to their original payment method. Those who booked PremiumFlex and BusinessFlex flights, or premium and business travelers flying between Canada and Asia, can receive their cash back, while others will be refunded in the form of travel credits.
“This means you could end up with a substantial amount of money in an account that can only be used for flights booked on the WestJet website,” explained T.J. Dunn, a travel expert and writer based in Vancouver.
Despite ongoing talks, WestJet and its flight attendants have signed off on a plan to wind down operations ahead of a possible long-weekend strike. Some 4,400 union members could walk off the job this Sunday.
Passengers who booked their WestJet flights via a third-party agency will also need to make adjustments through the agency they used.
Should WestJet cancel any flights, Dunn emphasizes that the airline has a duty to rebook passengers with other carriers — though accomplishing this may prove challenging during a busy summer holiday weekend.
“If your flight hasn’t been cancelled yet, it is theoretically still set to operate,” Dunn stated. “If you can afford to wait and see … matters might resolve themselves in the interim.”
As of Saturday morning, WestJet had already cancelled 81 flights in anticipation of the potential labor disruption.
Dunn advises travelers to look for alternative flights they could potentially rebook on, which could simplify the process should they need to make new arrangements.
Still time to make a deal
With both strike and lockout notices in play, there is increasing pressure on both parties to reach a consensus.
This pressure can often be beneficial, according to Barry Eidlin, a professor of labor studies at McGill University.
“That pressure cooker environment … frequently fosters the conditions necessary for the parties to come together and reach a negotiated agreement,” Eidlin noted.
This is often why negotiations appear to be at an impasse before last-minute agreements are struck, allowing both sides to avoid a strike, as seen in Air Transat’s discussions with its pilots in December, when the union and airline finalized their agreement just hours ahead of a potential job action.
WestJet’s headquarters is seen as WestJet flight attendants hold a Day of Action while union members vote on a possible strike, in Calgary on July 14. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)
The primary issue still under contention is fair compensation.
Flight attendants claim that, on average, 35 hours each month go unpaid due to WestJet’s current “credit hour” system. This pay structure compensates flight attendants for their ground duties, delays, and other required tasks by providing a set number of credit hours per flight, which can vary based on the trip.
WestJet contends that this credit system is typical within the industry and asserts that flight attendants are compensated at a higher rate under this structure to account for extra responsibilities during what flight attendants consider unpaid time.
This issue mirrors the core concern during last year’s strike by Air Canada flight attendants. In that situation, John Gradek, a former Air Canada director and aviation management professor at McGill University, noted that the union was able to rally substantial public support for flight attendants, leading to an agreement that compensated them for some time worked on the ground.
“It seems that CUPE in the WestJet case is hoping for a similar wave of support,” Gradek remarked.