WestJet flight attendants have approved a new collective agreement with the airline, with an overwhelming 90.2% vote in favor of the deal. Alia Hussain, president of CUPE 8125, stated that the members’ strong support reflects the significant progress achieved during negotiations. Notably, this marks only the second contract for the union, with key advancements securing fair compensation for their work efforts.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees announced that the agreement entails an impressive wage increase of over 18% spread across three years, along with additional compensation for ground-related tasks. The contract outlines a 13% pay raise scheduled for this October, followed by a 2.75% increment in January and a subsequent 2.5% raise at the beginning of 2028.
Despite requests for comment, the airline has yet to respond to inquiries. Talks surrounding the contract had been ongoing since January, with disagreements between WestJet and the CUPE WestJet Component primarily revolving around wage adjustments and the dispute over uncompensated ground duties performed by cabin crews.
The new three-year agreement is valid from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028, following intense negotiations that included a brief strike by approximately 4,400 cabin crew members earlier in the month. WestJet’s flight operations gradually normalized after experiencing over 900 flight cancellations during the peak summer travel period.
The aviation sector has faced challenges due to labor disputes in recent years, with strikes by Air Canada flight attendants and WestJet mechanics causing disruptions at the country’s major airlines. WestJet, which operates more than 600 daily flights and serves over 70,000 passengers on certain days, has now reached a significant milestone with the successful ratification of the collective agreement by its flight attendants.