WestJet flight attendants set to strike August 2, citing unpaid work and archaic pay system

WestJet flight attendants are prepared to begin striking as early as August 2 over a core labour dispute: unpaid work that union members say leaves many earning below minimum wage.

Close to 4,400 union members represented by CUPE Local 8125 voted 99.4 per cent in favour of a strike on July 15. The job action would ground Canada's second-largest airline during the August long weekend — a peak travel period between August 1 and August 3 — forcing travel disruptions across the country. WestJet has already given passengers with flights booked between July 30 and August 4 the ability to make a one-time change or cancellation with no fee.

A CUPE Local 8125 spokesperson told media that flight attendants are "seeking an end to the unfair practice of unpaid work." Essential duties before boarding, during delays, emergency evacuations, and after arrival are not fully compensated. "Flight attendants are responsible for safety from the moment they report to work, and not just when the aircraft moves. Some flight attendants are making below minimum wage when you factor in their unpaid hours — in some cases up to 35 unpaid hours every month."

The dispute echoes labour action from other carriers. Air Canada flight attendants walked off the job for three days in August 2025 amid a similar dispute over the same "archaic flight credit system" that WestJet uses to pay cabin crew.

WestJet says the credit hour system is "the standard pay model for cabin crew across North America" and that "block hours start when the aircraft leaves the gate and end when it arrives at the gate." One credit hour equals one flight time hour. The airline's position is that the system "combines flight time, ground duties, delays, and other required work into a single, higher rate of pay" rather than paying a lower hourly wage for every hour on duty.

"We've heard clearly that many of our crew feel this system requires improvements," WestJet stated. "We also know their current compensation requires adjustments in the context of inflation, and we take that seriously. We're prepared to make meaningful improvements in both regards." Negotiations are ongoing, though a deal remains elusive ahead of the August 2 strike date.