Tentative Deal Halts WestJet Strike After Wave of Cancellations
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WestJet and the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents about 4,400 cabin crew members at the airline, have reached a tentative agreement ending a strike that caused widespread travel disruption during Canada’s August long weekend.
The union’s bargaining committee said the agreement was reached at 4:15 a.m. Mountain Time on Monday, August 3, 2026. The strike and all picketing activities have ended, while union members will be given an opportunity to review the proposed contract and vote on whether to ratify it.
Full details of the tentative agreement have not yet been made public. However, union president Alia Hussain said the deal changes the flight-credit system to recognize more of the work cabin crew members are required to perform and provides general increases in compensation.
One of the central issues in the dispute was compensation for duties performed on the ground. The union sought pay for employees from the time they check in for work until the end of their duties, rather than compensation based primarily on the time an aircraft is moving or in flight.
WestJet cancelled 495 flights on Sunday alone. Data from aviation analytics company Cirium showed that 615 flights had been scheduled for cancellation through August 4. The airline said approximately 250,000 travellers had their trips disrupted or cancelled during the long weekend.
WestJet has begun working to restore its operations safely. The proposed agreement will not become a final collective agreement unless it is approved by union members in a ratification vote.
