More than 4,000 WestJet flight attendants commenced a strike early Sunday morning, August 2, 2026, after contract negotiations failed to reach an agreement. The work stoppage, led by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 8125, has resulted in the cancellation of over 300 flights as of Sunday morning. This has caused widespread travel chaos for thousands of Canadians during the August long weekend.
The primary issue in the dispute revolves around compensation for ground duties. CUPE claims that flight attendants perform approximately 35 unpaid hours per month, arguing that current pay structures tied to flight time do not adequately compensate for all their work. WestJet, however, maintains that its "credit hour" system compensates for flight time, ground duties, and other labour into a single, higher rate of pay. The airline stated that their latest proposal offered a "transformative, industry-leading agreement" that was unfortunately rejected by the union.
Travellers whose flights have been cancelled due to the strike are entitled to refunds or rebooking, as applicable, under Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations. Those who booked directly with WestJet will be contacted via email, while passengers who used third-party agents are advised to contact their booking service. WestJet Encore and code-share flights operated by partner airlines are not affected by this strike. Both WestJet and CUPE have indicated a willingness to resume negotiations to find a resolution.
