WestJet cabin crew strike grounds hundreds of flights across Canada

A total of 4,287 WestJet flight attendants walked off the job early Sunday after 11 months of bargaining failed to produce a contract deal, triggering immediate cascades of flight cancellations across Canada.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents the workers, says pay and unpaid work are at the centre of the dispute. Union president Alia Hussain said the airline's latest proposal did not go far enough: "We are ready to go back to the table to settle." Cabin crew have been performing unpaid ground duties and other work tasks, a core demand in their negotiations.

WestJet issued a lockout of its own in response and said affected passengers will be refunded or reaccommodated "as applicable." The airline had begun parking aircraft across its network over the weekend to avoid stranding travellers and planes abroad. The company said passengers should check flight status before heading to the airport.

Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu called the strike a "disappointing development" and said both parties "can and should come to an agreement at the bargaining table." She noted federal mediators have been available throughout bargaining and remain ready to help reach a deal.

The strike echoes last summer's Air Canada labour action, when more than 10,000 flight attendants walked off the job on August 17, 2025. That strike lasted less than 12 hours before the federal government invoked contentious back-to-work legislation, though Air Canada's union component defied the order and picket lines remained.