WestJet cancels more than 150 flights after surprise strike by mechanics union

Canadian Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan issued a brief statement Saturday morning saying he was reviewing the Canada Industrial Relations Board’s order and calling it “clearly inconsistent” with the instructions he had given.

“I will consider further steps to protect the interests of the employer, the union and all Canadians travelling this national holiday weekend,” O’Regan said.

In an update to its members, the union published a letter from the board about its decision. It said that referring the matter to the minister did not result in “a suspension of the right to strike or lockout”.

Calgary-based airline operator WestJet sharply criticized the mechanics union’s move, saying it was “extremely outraged by these actions and will hold AMFA 100 percent accountable for the unnecessary stress and costs it has caused.”

The strike threat appeared to fade on Thursday when WestJet said AMFA had “confirmed that they will comply with the directive. With that in mind, there will be no strike or lockout and the airline will no longer cancel flights.”

The change in position on Friday seemed to shock travelers and executives alike.

“Is my flight on Sunday in danger?” asked Andrew Wheatley of Edmonton in a post to X.

“I support the right of a union to strike if it is legal. And hopefully they get a good result. But at the same time, I have to go to work on Monday morning,” he added.

This is not the first time that labour unrest at WestJet has affected holiday weekend travel plans. The airline managed to avert a strike in the early hours of the May long weekend last year, but then cancelled over 230 flights and forced thousands of people to change their travel plans.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 29, 2024.

– with files from Christopher Reynolds in Montreal and Keith Doucette in Halifax

The Canadian Press