A strike threat at WestJet is over for now. The mechanics will resume talks with the Canadian airline

June 21, 2024

The union representing mechanics at Canadian airline WestJet said it had withdrawn its strike notice on Thursday evening after the airline agreed to return to the bargaining table.

The strike threat prompted WestJet, Canada’s second-largest airline, to cancel about 50 flights this week to prevent travelers and planes from becoming stranded.

“We hope that WestJet’s agreement to return to the bargaining table will enable them to achieve the contract our members want,” Bret Oestreich, national president of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, said Thursday. He said the union’s vote to authorize the strike is valid until July 9.

The union represents about 680 WestJet mechanics who voted overwhelmingly against the company’s latest contract offer.

AMFA had given WestJet 72 hours’ notice of its strike on Monday evening after the airline called on the Canadian government to intervene and force both sides to enter into binding arbitration.

The Canadian Industry and Trade Committee met for several hours on Wednesday and refused to stop the union’s strike. WestJet then announced that it would return to the negotiating table.

“We are returning to the negotiating table and are determined to find a solution to avoid further disruption to our operations,” said Diederik Pen, the airline’s president.

However, this came after WestJet had already started cancelling flights, affecting around 6,500 passengers. According to tracking service FlightAware, the airline canceled five flights on Tuesday, 24 on Wednesday and more than 20 more flights by Thursday afternoon.