WestJet, union reach tentative deal to end strike by flight attendants
Hundreds of flights were cancelled, leaving travellers in limbo
WestJet and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) have reached a tentative deal, ending a strike that has led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights, both sides said early Monday.
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sides → reach → flights
CUPE, which represents 4,400 flight attendants with the Calgary-based airline, sought pay for its members from the time they check in until they clock out, instead of mostly just for time when their aircraft is in motion.
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aircraft → represent → motion
The deal ends the work stoppage — which had left passengers stranded and in limbo — during the busy summer travel season after flight attendants walked off the job Sunday.
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attendants → end → job
WestJet didn't disclose details of the tentative agreement, which will be presented to cabin crew for a ratification vote.
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which → disclose → vote
Minister of Jobs and Families Patty Hajdu confirmed the tentative pact on X, saying "the federal government and Canadians welcome the news that the parties have reached a deal together, at the bargaining table."
At a news conference with reporters in Calgary on Monday, CUPE 8125 president Alia Hussain said she won't be releasing details yet; her team plans to show the tentative agreement to the union's members before sharing them with the wider public.
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team → confirm → public
Still, Hussain said WestJet's longstanding credits system will be expanded to recognize more of the work flight attendants are expected to do and to increase compensation.
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attendants → say → compensation
Hussain called the agreement "meaningful."
"The puzzle pieces came together," Hussain told reporters on Monday.
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Hussain → call → Monday
"Today's not the end of the process," she said, adding they have up to 30 days to ratify the deal.
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they → say → deal
Timing for flights to resume
It isn't immediately known when flights will resume fully, but WestJet has confirmed it's restoring its flight schedule.
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it → resume → schedule
The company has also extended the window for a one-time change or cancellation for passengers to Thursday.
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company → extend → Thursday
But John Gradek, faculty lecturer in aviation management at McGill University in Montreal, said it will likely take a few days.
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it → say → days
"It's about time," Gradek said of the tentative deal, noting that some 225,000 Canadians were affected by WestJet flight cancellations this weekend.
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Canadians → say → cancellations
Gradek said the August long weekend — and particularly the holiday Monday — represents the busiest time in the summer for WestJet.
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weekend → say → WestJet
"Today is shot.
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Things are going to need to get fixed up.
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"
Canadians who've been affected should remain "on guard" and keep checking the latest status of their flights, said Shalene Dudley, a Toronto-based travel agent and CEO of Latitude Concierge Travel.
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Dudley → affect → Travel
"It's a scary place to be, especially when you're celebrating something like a wedding."
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you → celebrate → wedding
Experts also suggest travellers get to know whether their travel insurance or credit card insurance cover labour disputes.
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insurance → suggest → disputes
When it comes to domestic travel in Canada, it's worth noting that airlines are only on the hook for air travel; they don't have a regulatory obligation to help passengers with other expenses accrued during delays and cancellations.
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they → come → delays
That's because a labour disruption due to strikes or lockouts is considered to be outside the airline's control.
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disruption → consider → control
Travellers who've been stranded internationally, however, are entitled to more compensation, such as hotels and meals.
"
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who → strand → hotels
That's something the domestic passenger doesn't have," Gradek told CBC News by phone.
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Gradek → have → phone
Travel situation called a 'gong show'
Kevin Stefan has been stranded in Copenhagen with his wife.
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After not hearing anything for about 24 hours, the couple finally received an email on Monday confirming a new flight, operated by Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), into Boston on Wednesday.
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couple → hear → Wednesday
The pair will travel home to Calgary via WestJet, he said.
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he → travel → WestJet
"So, good news as long as the strike is resolved and SAS actually has our flight unlike last time," Stefan said.
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Stefan → resolve → time
WestJet communications said the couple were previously rebooked on a different SAS flight, but the Scandinavian carrier couldn't find their tickets.
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carrier → say → tickets
The two have had to move between hotels as their time in Copenhagen has dragged on.
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time → have → Copenhagen
"We've been told we can bill WestJet for the room and expenses," Stefan said.
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Stefan → tell → room
"We'll see what happens.
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what → see → ?
I'll believe we are being reimbursed the second I see the cash and not one second sooner."
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I → believe → cash
Stefan said he's spoken with other stranded travellers and one descriptor keeps coming up: "gong show."
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descriptor → say → travellers
We have to simultaneously live like we're staying here for days and like we're getting on an airplane in a few hours.
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we → have → hours
We both have a cold, which adds to the miserable factor."
Now, the couple are hopeful they'll finally get to travel back home on Wednesday.
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they → have → Wednesday
Still, Stefan said that he and his wife don't blame the flight attendants.
"
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he → say → attendants
They should be paid for their hours worked."
Some insight into tentative pact
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insight → pay → pact
In a statement Monday, the union said that the deal, if ratified, would "improve upon the legacy flight credit system by introducing a duty period premium that recognizes more of the work cabin crew are required to perform," and also increases compensation for that work.
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crew → say → work
"This tentative agreement represents meaningful progress," CUPE Local 8125 president Alia Hussain said in a statement.
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Hussain → represent → statement
"It evolves the flight credit system by recognizing more of the work cabin crew are required to perform and with general increases to compensation for that work.
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crew → evolve → work
We also want to thank the public, labour organizations and everyone who supported cabin crew as we worked toward a fair resolution."
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we → want → resolution
…and 56 more, not listed.
