WestJet and its flight attendants' union remain in negotiations after exchanging 72-hour strike and lockout notices, as federal ministers urged both sides to continue working toward an agreement.The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 8125, which represents approximately 4,400 WestJet and WestJet Encore flight attendants, issued the notice Wednesday after members voted 99.4% in favour of a strike mandate earlier this month.WestJet and CUPE Local 8125 issued statements Thursday following the exchange of strike and lockout notices, as the possibility of a labour disruption over the long weekend draws closer. "The decision to issue a lockout notice, in response to the actions taken by the union, was not one that was made lightly. We sincerely regret the inconvenience and uncertainty this continues to cause for our guests," said Alexis von Hoensbroech, Chief Executive Officer of the WestJet Group. "We greatly value the work and contributions of our cabin crew, and it is our responsibility to ensure the integrity of our network and to minimize the risk of stranding our guests, crew and aircraft."''Our commitment remains at the bargaining table, where we will continue to work around the clock to come to an agreement that provides value and meaningful improvements for our cabin crew and is sustainable for our company.".“From the beginning, flight attendants have been clear about what they are fighting for. Unfortunately, the parties are still too far apart on some key issues,” the union stated.“The strike notice does not mean flight attendants want to go on strike. CUPE 8125 has been clear throughout negotiations that its goal is to reach a fair agreement without disrupting passengers or the travelling public,” Unless a tentative agreement is reached, flight attendants could legally begin strike action at 12:01 a.m. MT on Sunday.Earlier this month, WestJet flight attendants voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike mandate, with 99.4% of members supporting possible job action, raising concerns about potential travel disruptions during the busy summer vacation season.According to CUPE, 97.3% of eligible flight attendants participated in the vote. The strike mandate comes after nearly 10 months of contract negotiations between the union and WestJet.CUPE has said key issues include wages, scheduling, and compensation for work flight attendants perform outside of the time they are officially paid for, including duties before and after flights..“WestJet flight attendants are committed to reaching a deal at the table,” Alia Hussain, president of CUPE Local 8125 told Global News.“We are renegotiating or attempting to renegotiate the archaic flight credit system that, through the very nature of how it works, creates an exploitation of labour, which causes flight attendants to have to work up to approximately 35 hours a month of free hours and we are trying to change that,”The issue of unpaid work has also been a major point of contention in the airline industry. Last August, approximately 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants went on strike over concerns that they were not being compensated for certain jobs performed before and after flights.The Air Canada flight attendants’ strike last summer was ultimately resolved after the federal government intervened and directed the dispute to binding arbitration, leading to a new agreement between the airline and the union..WestJet has acknowledged that ''improvements to compensation are needed'' as the parties negotiate a new collective agreement, while maintaining that it remains committed to reaching a deal at the bargaining table.The airline has also introduced a flexible travel policy allowing passengers travelling between July 30 and Aug. 4 to make a one-time change or cancellation without additional fees while negotiations continue.For now, WestJet flights continue to operate as scheduled. However, the airline has said it may begin adjusting its schedule if necessary to prepare for a potential work stoppage should an agreement not be reached before the Sunday deadline.
