Travel plans were up in the air Saturday night for thousands of WestJet passengers as the airline continued to ground planes hours before the deadline for a strike by flight attendants.
As of Saturday evening, a total of 276 flights had been cancelled by WestJet and the airline announced its 737 jet aircraft were being parked to “minimize the risk of stranding guests and aircraft” should the strike go into effect.
On Thursday, members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 8125, representing WestJet’s 4,400 flight attendants, issued a 72-hour advance notice that they planned to go on strike as early as 2 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time) Sunday.
Shortly after the strike notice, the airline issued a 72-hour lockout warning to employees that would also take effect on Sunday.
The CUPE local gave notice of the strike after a dispute over compensation for certain ground work duties, which the union says is currently unpaid.
Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu said in a statement Saturday that she is in Calgary with WestJet and the union.
“With federal mediators supporting negotiations since May, the parties can and should reach a deal. Canadians are counting on it,” Hadju said.
On Friday, CUPE 8125 president Alia Hussain said the union was working to avoid a labour disruption.
“We have made some progress, and the issues remaining need to be resolved at the table. We are hopeful that we can still avoid a strike and remain committed to resolving this there,” said Hussain.
WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said in a statement Thursday that the airline is committed to remain “at the bargaining table, where we will continue to work around the clock to come to an agreement.”
WestJet’s flight attendants are seeking some of the same improvements attained in a four-year deal reached by Air Canada’s flight attendants last year.
If the strike goes into effect, widespread disruptions are expected. Several flights scheduled for Sunday have already been cancelled by the airline.
WestJet is advising customers to regularly check the status of their flights. Travellers booked on its regional WestJet Encore service or code-share flights run by an airline partner such as Delta Air Lines will not be affected by a strike, the carrier said.
Since the strike and lockout notices were issued, WestJet has been allowing passengers travelling between July 30 and Aug. 4 to make a one-time change to their itinerary or cancel their flights without being charged fees.
WestJet also said it would continue to communicate next steps with their passengers, as the strike situation remained uncertain on Saturday.
With files from The Canadian Press
