WestJet cancels more than 150 flights following surprise strike by mechanics union

A surprise strike by WestJet’s unionized airline mechanics has left thousands of airline passengers wondering if they will get to their destination today after the airline canceled more than 150 flights.

The Fraternal Association of Aircraft Mechanics (AMFA) said its members began going on strike around 5:30pm MDT on Friday because “the airline’s unwillingness to negotiate with the union made the strike inevitable.”

The move came after the federal government issued a binding arbitration ministerial order on Thursday.

The order followed two weeks of tumultuous talks with the union over a new deal.

Federal Labor Minister Seamus O’Regan issued a brief statement Saturday morning saying he was reviewing the order by the Canada Industrial Relations Board, calling it “clearly inconsistent” with the direction he provided.

“I will consider additional steps to protect the interests of the employer, the union and all Canadians traveling this national holiday weekend,” O’Regan said.

In an update to its members, the union posted a letter from the board about its decision saying the ministerial referral “does not have the effect of suspending the right to strike or lockout”.

Calgary-based WestJet criticized the move by the mechanics union, saying it was “extremely outraged by these actions and will hold AMFA 100% responsible for the unnecessary stress and costs incurred as a result.”

The threat of a strike appeared to have subsided on Thursday when WestJet said the AMFA had “confirmed that it will comply with the direction. With this in mind, a strike or lockout will not take place and the airline will not cancel any more flights.”

The change in position on Friday appeared to shock travelers and executives alike.

“Is my Sunday flight in jeopardy?” asked Andrew Wheatley of Edmonton in a post for X.

“I support a union’s right to strike if it’s legal. And I hope they get a good deal. But at the same time, I have to be at work on Monday morning,” he added.

This isn’t the first time labor unrest at WestJet has affected travel plans over the holiday weekend. The airline avoided a strike last year in the early hours of the May long weekend, but not before canceling more than 230 flights and forcing thousands to change their travel plans.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 29, 2024.

– with files from Christopher Reynolds of Montréal and Keith Doucette of Halifax

The Canadian Press