WestJet is giving passengers with flights scheduled for July 30 to Aug. 4 the opportunity to change or cancel their bookings ahead of a possible labour disruption. The Calgary-based airline says passengers can make a one-time change or cancellation on flights between those dates without a fee to “provide guests with greater flexibility and peace of mind” as a labour dispute with the airline’s flight attendants continues. “Our team remains actively engaged in negotiations and is fully prepared to make meaningful improvements that work for cabin crew while balancing the future sustainability of WestJet,” said a statement on WestJet’s website. Last week, the airline’s cabin crew voted 99.4 per cent in favour of walking off the job. That means about 4,400 cabin crew, represented by CUPE Local 8125, could legally walk off the job on Aug. 2. “We believe that an agreement can be reached while avoiding guest disruption,” said an email sent to WestJet Rewards members reviewed by CTV News. “However, we understand that uncertainty around travel plans can be concerning.” The union has said wages, unpaid work and working conditions have been the major sticking points in negotiations with the airline. It also claims flight attendants perform an average of 35 hours of unpaid work each month under WestJet’s flight credit system, and argues wages are not keeping pace with inflation. In a statement sent to CTV News on Friday, CUPE 8125 president Alia Hussain said members continue to report for work every day, safely serving passengers and helping keep WestJet operating. “We want to continue doing the work we love and getting Canadians to their destinations,” Hussain said. “We have been clear throughout this process that our goal is to reach a fair collective agreement without a strike. No one benefits from service disruptions, and we remain committed to bargaining.” The possible labour disruption comes at the height of Canada’s summer travel season, nearly one year after Air Canada flight attendants went on strike, grounding around 700 daily flights and affecting more than half a million passengers. Aviation expert John Gradek at McGill University has said a full travel shutdown could affect between 70,000 and 75,000 passengers each day, should a strike occur. — With files from CTV News’ Kathy Le
