WestJet flight attendants have approved a new collective agreement with the airline, with a resounding 90.2 percent vote in favor of the deal. Alia Hussain, president of CUPE 8125, expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating that the strong support from members reflects the significant progress achieved during negotiations. This marks only the second contract for the group, with notable improvements including fair compensation for additional work responsibilities.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees revealed that the agreement entails an impressive wage increase exceeding 18 percent over a three-year period, alongside provisions for compensating ground-based tasks. The contract outlines a 13 percent salary raise in October, followed by increments of 2.75 percent in January and 2.5 percent at the beginning of 2028. WestJet has not yet provided a public response to the agreement.
Talks regarding the contract had been ongoing since January, with disagreements between WestJet and the CUPE WestJet Component revolving around wage adjustments and the crew’s concerns regarding uncompensated ground duties. The union had persistently highlighted the issue of unpaid work during non-flight hours, whereas WestJet had maintained that all responsibilities were appropriately accounted for through a credit hour system rather than hourly wages.
Effective from January 1, 2026, until December 31, 2028, the newly ratified three-year agreement came after challenging negotiations, particularly concerning boarding compensations, which had led to a brief strike by approximately 4,400 cabin crew members earlier in the month. Following this labor action, WestJet’s flight operations gradually resumed normalcy after experiencing over 900 flight cancellations during the peak summer travel season.
The aviation sector has faced disruptions in recent years due to various labor disputes, including strikes by Air Canada flight attendants and WestJet mechanics, causing temporary halts in operations at the country’s major airlines. WestJet, known for operating more than 600 daily flights and serving over 70,000 passengers on certain days, remains a key player in the Canadian airline industry.