WestJet flight attendants have approved a new collective agreement with a 90.2% vote in favor of the deal. Alia Hussain, president of CUPE 8125, stated that the strong support from members acknowledges the significant progress achieved during negotiations. The Canadian Union of Public Employees highlighted that the agreement entails an over 18% salary increase spread over three years and introduces compensation for ground duties.
Under the terms of the contract, employees will receive a 13% wage hike in October, followed by increases of 2.75% in January and 2.5% at the beginning of 2028. The new agreement, effective from January 1, 2026, until December 31, 2028, marks the second contract for the flight attendants. The negotiations, which began in January, were primarily centered on wage adjustments and the dispute over compensation for off-flight responsibilities.
The union had raised concerns about unpaid ground tasks, arguing that a significant portion of non-airborne work was going uncompensated. In contrast, WestJet defended its position, stating that all duties were accounted for under a “credit hour” system rather than an hourly wage. The agreement was reached after intense discussions, including issues related to boarding pay that led to a brief strike by approximately 4,400 cabin crew members earlier in the month.
Following the resolution, WestJet’s flight operations gradually normalized after experiencing over 900 flight cancellations during the peak summer travel season. The aviation sector has faced labor disruptions in recent years, with 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, did not provide immediate comments on the ratified agreement.
