WestJet strike: More flight cancellations over the long weekend

A sudden strike by WestJet’s mechanics union is forcing the airline to cancel more flights over the Canada Day long weekend, disrupting the plans of more than 49,000 travelers.

In order to “maintain stability,” the Calgary-based airline has already cancelled a total of 407 flights over the weekend.

Most flights were cancelled on Saturday, with 282 trips on WestJet aircraft being cancelled.

The travel disruptions came after members of the Airplane Mechanics Fraternal Association walked out of work Friday afternoon, saying WestJet’s “unwillingness to negotiate with the union made the strike inevitable.”

The industrial action came after union members rejected an offer from WestJet earlier this month and the two parties engaged in two weeks of tense negotiations that led to the federal government intervening and forcing WestJet and the union to enter into binding arbitration.

AMFA leadership released a letter from the Canada Industrial Relations Board about its decision, which said the ministry’s referral “does not result in a suspension of the right to strike or lockout.”

WestJet said it was “extremely outraged by these actions and will hold AMFA 100 percent accountable for the unnecessary stress and costs it caused.”

Canadian Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan had said that the Canada Industrial Relations Board’s instruction was “obviously inconsistent” with the board’s instructions. On Saturday, he spoke out again and called on both parties to work with the board to reach an agreement.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2024.

– with files from Christopher Reynolds in Montréal