Thousands of travelers across Canada faced major disruptions over the weekend after approximately 4,400 WestJet flight attendants launched a nationwide strike following the collapse of contract negotiations that had continued for nearly 11 months.

The industrial action began at 12:01 a.m. Mountain Time on Aug. 2, grounding hundreds of flights during Canada's busy August long weekend and affecting an estimated 250,000 passengers, according to the airline.

The strike involves cabin crew represented by CUPE Local 8125, whose previous collective agreement expired on Dec. 31, 2025. Union members voted overwhelmingly in favor of strike action in July after months of negotiations failed to produce a new labor agreement.

WestJet confirmed that more than 600 flights had been canceled by Sunday morning as the work stoppage significantly disrupted operations across its Boeing 737 and Boeing 787 networks.

While the airline's regional subsidiary, WestJet Encore, and several codeshare services continued operating, travelers across Canada experienced widespread delays and cancellations during one of the country's busiest travel periods.

Passengers affected by the disruption were advised to check their flight status regularly and were offered the option of refunds or alternative travel arrangements. However, many customers reported lengthy waits when attempting to contact the airline's customer service centers.

At the heart of the dispute is WestJet's long-standing credit-hour compensation system, under which flight attendants are paid primarily for "block time"—the period beginning when an aircraft leaves the departure gate and ending upon arrival at its destination.

The union argues that the system fails to compensate cabin crew for numerous essential duties performed before takeoff and after landing, including boarding passengers, conducting mandatory safety checks, assisting travelers during delays, overseeing deplaning procedures and completing post-flight responsibilities.

According to CUPE, flight attendants perform up to 35 hours of unpaid work each month, with junior crew members operating shorter domestic routes being particularly affected.

Union officials contend that once these unpaid hours are taken into account, some employees effectively earn less than the minimum wage.

"We are on strike because we believe we deserve better. We are ready to return to the bargaining table to reach a fair agreement," said Alia Hussain, president of CUPE's WestJet component.

WestJet rejected claims that flight attendants perform uncompensated work, maintaining that its higher credit-hour pay rates are designed to account for duties performed on the ground and reflect a compensation model widely used across the North American airline industry.

Following the start of the strike, the airline publicly released details of what it described as its final contract offer.

According to WestJet, the proposal included a 13% wage increase for 2026, followed by annual 2.5% pay increases through 2029, along with a new duty-pay premium equivalent to roughly 12% of annual salary to compensate employees for all duty hours.

The package also included increased meal allowances, enhanced maternity benefits, healthcare spending accounts, additional vacation entitlements and scheduling improvements.

Union representatives said the proposal did not adequately address concerns over unpaid work or several other key issues raised during negotiations.

Canada's Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu described the breakdown in negotiations as disappointing, emphasizing that both parties should continue bargaining despite the strike.

Labor experts say the dispute reflects broader industry concerns over how airline cabin crew are compensated, with unions across North America increasingly calling for payment covering all hours worked, including duties performed on the ground before departure and after arrival.

Negotiations between WestJet and the union are expected to continue as both sides seek to reach a new collective agreement and restore normal flight operations. (ILKHA)