WestJet flight attendants are wrapping up a week-long vote this afternoon on whether to accept a contract deal struck between their union and the airline.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees says the tentative agreement includes a more than 18 per cent wage hike over three years as well as new compensation for work done on the ground.
The deal followed tough negotiations, particularly around boarding pay, that culminated in a one-day strike by some 4,400 cabin crew earlier this month.
WestJet's flight schedule gradually ramped up after more than 900 flight cancellations at the peak of the summer travel period.
If greenlit, the contract will give workers a 13 per cent wage increase this October, followed by a 2.75 per cent hike in January and a 2.5 per cent raise at the start of 2028.
The aviation industry has been rattled by a series of labour actions over the past several years, with strikes by Air Canada flight attendants and WestJet mechanics briefly bringing operations at the country’s two biggest airlines to a halt.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns