WestJet mechanics strike: hundreds of flights cancelled

Tens of thousands of Canadian airline passengers found themselves in dire straits Saturday after a sudden strike by unionized WestJet mechanics led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights on the country’s second-largest carrier.

The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) announced that its members walked off the job around 5:30 p.m. MDT Friday because “the airline’s unwillingness to negotiate with the union made a strike inevitable.”

The move comes after the federal government issued a ministerial order on Thursday providing for binding arbitration, following two weeks of turbulent discussions with the union over a new agreement.

WestJet executives said at a news conference in Calgary that 235 flights had already been cancelled as of noon Saturday, affecting some 33,000 passengers, with the possibility of another 150 flights being cancelled by the end of the day if the walkout is not resolved.

WestJet Airlines President Diederik Pen called the strike “devastating” for passengers and the airline.

“We are outraged and I want to assure you that we are doing everything we can to resolve this issue,” Pen said.

The airline’s CEO, Alexis von Hoensbroech, clearly placed the blame for the situation on what he called a “rogue union from the United States” that was trying to gain a foothold in Canada.

Von Hoensbroech said that as far as the airline was concerned, negotiations with the union ended once the minister referred the dispute to binding arbitration.

“It makes a strike totally absurd, because the reason you strike is because you have to put pressure on the bargaining table,” he said. “If there is no bargaining table, it makes no sense, there should be no strike.”

He said the union rejected a contract offer that would have made the airline’s mechanics the “highest paid in the country.”

Meanwhile, federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan also appeared to be grappling with the strike and its aftermath.

He issued a brief statement Saturday morning, saying he was reviewing the Canada Industrial Relations Board’s order and calling it “clearly inconsistent” with the guidance he had provided. But a new statement later in the day said he respected the authority of the council, which he stressed is independent of the government. He added that he planned to meet with both sides later on Saturday.

In an update to its 680 members, the union released a letter from the board of directors regarding its decision, which said the ministerial referral “does not have the effect of suspending the right to strike or lockout.”

The threat of a strike appeared to recede Thursday, but Friday’s surprising events appeared to shock travelers and executives.

At Toronto Pearson International Airport, WestJet passengers Samin Sahan and Samee Jan said they planned to leave Saturday with extended family members for a trip to Calgary that had been planned for six to eight months.

Sahan said they received emails earlier in the day informing them that their flight had been rescheduled for Monday, but they went to the terminal anyway.

“We came to the airport to talk to some agents and try to find out if there is a schedule that can align all of our family’s plans,” Sahan said. “Everyone is spread out and we have grandparents and grandchildren traveling with us, so it’s important that we all stay together during our trip.”

He said their efforts to seek clarification, combined with the strike, had left their travel plans on hold.

“This inaction is hurting a lot of people, their own businesses and their customers who will probably never be their customers again,” Sahan said.

Jan called the situation “sad.”

“I’m not very surprised, just because we heard about this strike, but… all these stories, it’s a little sad. »

Sean McVeigh, a WestJet aircraft maintenance engineer who was protesting at Pearson Terminal 3 on Saturday, said the strike was an attempt to force the airline to return to “respectful negotiation.”

McVeigh said the union regretted any inconvenience caused to passengers.

“However, the reason they (passengers) may have missed a flight or had to cancel is because WestJet is not respectfully sitting down at the table and negotiating,” he said alongside about 20 others on the picket line. “We take on a lot of responsibility and we would just like to be appreciated financially,” he said.

Earlier this month, mechanics voted overwhelmingly to reject a tentative deal with the Calgary-based airline, prompting WestJet to seek government intervention.

Gabor Lukacs, chairman of the air passenger rights group, said that as things stand, the union is taking part in a legal strike.

“I think the fault here lies with management and not the union,” Lukacs said in a telephone interview. “From a business management perspective, WestJet has not handled the situation well and needs to deal with the situation.”

He said WestJet has an obligation under law to find alternative travel arrangements for stranded passengers within 48 hours, either through another of its flights or with a competitor.

People can also request a refund, although Lukacs said he advises against doing so.

“I urge passengers not to accept a refund unless they are absolutely sure they do not want to travel,” he said. “If you accept a refund, WestJet can then wash its hands of its obligations to you.”

Pen said WestJet would follow the regulations and refund passengers while providing hotel nights to those who are stranded. Beyond that, he said the airline was “unable to provide any additional compensation.”

This isn’t the first time WestJet labour disputes have impacted holiday weekend travel plans. The airline avoided a strike last year in the early hours of the May long weekend, but previously cancelled more than 230 flights and forced thousands to change their travel plans.

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

– with files from Christopher Reynolds in Montreal