WestJet Grounds Boeing 737s as Flight Attendant Strike Looms

WestJet has begun parking its Boeing 737 aircraft in a preemptive move as contract negotiations with its flight attendants' union stall, raising the likelihood of a labor strike as early as this weekend. The Calgary-based airline, owned by Onex Corp, stated the measure is necessary to maintain operational control ahead of the potential disruption.

Strike Deadline Nears

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents WestJet flight attendants, warned on Thursday that a strike could commence as early as August 2 at 12:01 a.m. Mountain Time if a new agreement is not reached. According to a statement from WestJet, the airline remains "active at the bargaining table to achieve a mutually agreeable deal at the earliest possible time."

The decision to ground aircraft is a precautionary step designed to prevent planes and crews from being stranded at various locations in the event of a work stoppage, the airline explained.

Dispute Centers on Unpaid Work

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The core issue in the labor dispute is compensation for what the union describes as unpaid work. CUPE is demanding that cabin crew be paid from the moment they check in for duty until they officially clock out. The union states that the current pay structure does not compensate for this full duration.

Potential Service Impact

A strike would primarily affect WestJet's mainline routes, which are operated by its fleet of Boeing 737 jets. The airline has specified that certain services will not be impacted by the potential labor action:

• WestJet Encore flights, which use Bombardier Q400 aircraft.
• Codeshare flights operated by WestJet's partner airlines.