July 31, 2026
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada stands with 4,400 CUPE Local 8125 WestJet flight attendants as they fight for a fair collective agreement.
Flight attendants have issued a 72-hour strike notice after negotiations failed to resolve key issues at the bargaining table. WestJet subsequently issued a 72-hour lockout notice.
At the heart of this dispute is a principle that should be simple and uncontroversial: when people are working, they should be paid.
Flight attendants’ work does not begin when the aircraft leaves the gate. It begins when they report for duty and take responsibility for the safety and care of everyone on board.
They prepare aircraft for passengers, assist during boarding, remain on duty through delays, respond when emergencies arise and continue working after arrival. Yet under the current credit-hour system, much of that essential work is not fully compensated.
In some cases, flight attendants perform as many as 35 hours of unpaid work every month. When those hours are counted, some are effectively earning less than minimum wage. That is not fair, and it is not worthy of work that carries such enormous responsibility.
PIPSC members understand how much vital work happens out of public view. Preparation, vigilance, professional judgment and readiness are not incidental to the job. They are the job. They deserve to be recognized, respected and paid.
Passengers rely on flight attendants not only for service, but for reassurance, professional judgment and immediate action in moments of danger. They are expected to remain calm when others are afraid, to care for people who are sick or distressed and to be ready to protect lives at a moment’s notice.
That responsibility exists for the entire time they are on duty, not only when the aircraft is moving.
WestJet flight attendants have made clear that they want to reach a fair agreement without disrupting passengers or the travelling public. They continue to bargain because they believe an agreement is still possible.
PIPSC supports CUPE Local 8125 in its efforts to secure a contract that reflects the true value of flight attendants’ work. We also join the union in calling on the federal government to respect the collective bargaining process and allow the parties to reach a fair, negotiated agreement without intervention.
PIPSC proudly stands with these workers in their fight for workplace justice. Their struggle is our struggle, and their victory will strengthen the labour movement for all working Canadians.
Until negotiations between CUPE and WestJet are resolved, PIPSC members and staff should be advised that:
- no further travel bookings will be made with WestJet for PIPSC members or staff travel
- existing bookings with WestJet may proceed as planned
- a finance administrator may contact you to provide an alternative booking for your existing WestJet travel itinerary
- any PIPSC members who are contractually required to report to work at an airport with a picket line should request their manager to provide safe passage through it
