On the Canada Day long weekend of 2024, WestJet, Canada's second largest airline, was hit by a surprise mechanics strike that resulted in over 100,000 passengers being affected. The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) called for the strike after negotiations with WestJet broke down over issues such as wages and work privileges. The union had been seeking wage increases, protections for certain positions, and improved benefits like health care.
The strike caused WestJet to cancel approximately 829 flights between Thursday and Monday. This affected about 250,000 travelers who were planning to fly with the airline during the busy holiday weekend. The union's goal was to force WestJet back to the bargaining table for a respectful negotiation.
The strike came after months of negotiations between WestJet and AMFA. In September 2023, they held their first bargaining session where concerns were raised about furloughs out of seniority order, irregularities in pay scale, and work privileges that had been eliminated without notice or rationale. The parties were separated by a first-year economic difference of approximately 7%, which was less than $8 million.
The Minister of Labour and the Canada Industrial Relations Board intervened in the dispute, imposing compulsory arbitration. However, both parties continued to negotiate while undergoing mediation. The mediators reported that WestJet executives had decided to 'call it a night' on Saturday, June 29.
The strike ended late on Sunday when WestJet and AMFA reached a tentative agreement. The details of the agreement have not been disclosed to the public.
WestJet apologized for the inconvenience caused to its passengers and promised to restore operations as soon as possible. It is expected that it will take some time for WestJet to return to normal flying after the strike.
