Cabin crew at WestJet (WS)’s regional unit, WestJet Encore, have formally started negotiations for a new collective agreement, marking a significant step in ongoing labour discussions at the airline, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) reported. Approximately 360 WestJet Encore flight attendants, represented by CUPE 8125, have served a notice to bargain with the airline, signaling the beginning of collective bargaining over working conditions and compensation.
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WestJet Encore Priorities: Pay, Scheduling, and Fair Compensation
The union has clearly outlined its key priorities for this round of negotiations. According to the notice to bargain, the cabin crew are seeking:
- An end to unpaid work — ensuring flight attendants are paid for every hour spent on duties such as boarding, pre‑flight preparations, and other tasks not currently compensated.
- Resolution of ongoing scheduling issues — to improve predictability and work‑life balance.
- Better wages for their members, reflecting the value of the work performed.
Jennifer Wielohorski‑Kuhnert, Vice President of the WestJet Encore unit of CUPE 8125, emphasised this focus on fair pay in the union’s announcement: “flight attendants deserve to be paid for every hour on the job.”
CUPE 8125 President Alia Hussain pointed out that this bargaining effort “comes at a time when cabin crew across the WestJet Group are pushing for meaningful change.” The union notes that mainline WestJet flight attendants have been in bargaining since September 2025, raising many of the same issues over unpaid work, scheduling, and fair compensation.
What This Means for Negotiations
Under Canadian labour law, once a union serves notice to bargain, both sides must enter negotiations within a legally required timeframe.
These talks involve discussions over all outstanding issues before a collective agreement can be reached, and they may include mediation or third‑party assistance if needed.
At this stage, there is no indication of a work stoppage, strike vote, or immediate impact on flights. Instead, this notice simply begins the formal negotiation process between the union and WestJet management.
Broader Context
The WestJet Encore bargaining announcement comes amid wider industry attention on airline labour conditions.
In recent bargaining rounds, Canadian airline cabin crews have pushed for compensation reforms related to unpaid work — a campaign highlighted by CUPE’s “Unpaid Work Won’t Fly” initiative, which seeks to draw broader attention to the issue of flight attendant pay and labour standards. The initiative notes that flight attendants in Canada work for an average of 35 hours for free every month?, and says:
“Most airlines don’t pay flight attendants for vital safety-related duties like assisting passengers with additional needs, attending to medical and safety emergencies, boarding, deplaning, and ground delays. Employment Minister Patty Hajdu has launched a probe into unpaid work in the airline sector. “
Bottom Line
The start of bargaining between WestJet Encore flight attendants and management represents an important labour development at the airline.
With core issues like pay for all work hours and predictable scheduling at the centre of talks, the outcome could shape future working conditions for cabin crew across the WestJet Group.