The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents about 4,400 WestJet flight attendants, had given the airline 72 hours’ notice on Thursday that a strike could begin if the two sides failed to reach a deal.
The union announced the strike in a Facebook post on Sunday but did not provide further details. CUPE and WestJet did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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One of the union’s key demands is that flight attendants be paid from the time they report for duty until they finish their shifts. Under the current system, cabin crew are generally paid only while the aircraft is in motion.
WestJet had already cancelled 309 flights through Sunday night in anticipation of the strike. The airline said the cancellations were intended to reduce the risk of passengers or aircraft becoming stranded during the labor dispute.
The walkout highlights a broader dispute among flight attendants in Canada and the United States over how cabin crew are compensated, with unions increasingly challenging a system that largely ties their pay to time spent while an aircraft is flying.
The strike could lead to further flight cancellations and disruptions as thousands of travelers navigate the peak summer holiday period.
