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Photo by Darren Makowichuk/Postmedia fileOn the heels of a brief work stoppage earlier this month, WestJet flight attendants have signed a new collective agreement with the Calgary-based airline.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorOn Monday, the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 8125, which represents more than 4,400 WestJet flight attendants, announced it had ratified a new contract with the employer.The agreement was supported by 90.2 per cent of voting members, according to a CUPE representative, and will be in effect for three years, from Jan. 1 of this year to Dec. 31, 2028. The contract includes wage increases and other improvements to compensation and working conditions, the union rep added. FP Work touches on HR strategy, labour economics, office culture, technology and more.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Work will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again“This is a strong mandate from our members and recognition of the meaningful gains we made at the bargaining table,” CUPE 8125 president Alia Hussain said in a news release. “This is only our second contract and we made important progress, including making sure our members are compensated for more of the work they already do.”The agreement was reached after months of negotiations that ultimately led to WestJet flight attendants striking for less than one full day over the August long weekend. After their previous collective agreement expired at the end of 2025, CUPE was advocating for an overhaul to WestJet’s salary model, which the union argued left some cabin crew members with incomes below minimum wage.WestJet’s cabin crew compensation was based on a model called credit hours, which means flight attendants were paid a higher rate for the duration of a flight to make up for the required time spent boarding and other preparations before a plane actually took off.As a result, flight attendants were only compensated when they were flying. CUPE argued that pre-flight processes have grown more complex in recent years, which forced staff to work longer hours for the same wages.Bargaining talks under federal conciliation were at an impasse on July 11, prompting a strike vote by union members. Ninety-nine per cent of members voted in favour of a strike authorization.WestJet had offered its flight attendants a retroactive wage increase of 13 per cent effective in October and a 2.5 per cent annual raise for the next three years, along with a new duty pay premium, which the company said was “designed to solve the union’s claim of unpaid works” and would be equivalent to another 12 per cent salary bump. Hundreds of striking WestJet employees picketed outside the Calgary International Airport in Calgary on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026. Darren Makowichuk/PostmediaWhile the strike led to more than 80 flight cancellations in and out of the Calgary International Airport, it ultimately ended shortly after the work stoppage began on Aug. 2, after WestJet and the union announced Aug. 3 they had reached a tentative agreement.Hussain argued the new contract delivers important gains for close to 4,400 flight attendants, including new compensation for work the airline’s cabin crew previously did without pay.“Our bargaining committee worked hard to make these gains possible, and our members stood together throughout this process,” she said. “That solidarity made a difference. We know there’s still more work to do over the life of this agreement, and when we bargain again, we will keep building on the gains our members have fought for and continue pushing for better wages and working conditions for WestJet flight attendants.”WestJet didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Monday afternoon, but in a previous statement after the tentative agreement was announced, the company commended “the bargaining teams on both sides for their commitment, hard work and professionalism in negotiating an agreement that will be transformative for our cabin crew and our industry.”Catch up with the day’s headlines, curated by our editors and delivered to your email inbox at lunchtime on every business day. Sign up now for the Calgary Herald Noon News Roundup. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. 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