WestJet, cabin crew reach tentative contract deal

WestJet and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) reached a tentative contract agreement early Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, bringing an end to a day-long strike by the airline’s flight attendants. The agreement followed a period of significant disruption over a busy long weekend, during which hundreds of flights were cancelled.

CUPE Local 8125, which represents about 4,400 WestJet flight attendants, confirmed that the tentative pact ends the work stoppage. The union said that flight attendants will return to work and that both strike and lockout notices have been withdrawn.

The full details of the tentative contract have not been publicly released. WestJet stated that the agreement will be presented to cabin crew members for a ratification vote, a necessary step before it can take effect.

CUPE Local 8125 president Alia Hussain described the tentative agreement as representing meaningful progress. She said the pact better recognizes the work performed by cabin crews and improves their compensation, though specific pay terms were not disclosed.

The strike and associated labour action led to widespread operational disruption for WestJet, with reporting noting the cancellation of hundreds of flights over the long weekend. The walkout left many travellers facing schedule changes and uncertainty about their plans.

WestJet has said that all passengers affected by the strike will be refunded or reaccommodated. The airline indicated that it will share further details on the return to normal operations as they become available but has not provided a specific timetable for full service restoration.

With flight attendants returning to work under the tentative deal, attention now turns to the ratification process within CUPE Local 8125. Cabin crew members will review the terms and vote on whether to approve the agreement.

Until ratification is completed and the airline clarifies its operational plan, the exact pace at which WestJet’s network will normalize remains unspecified. Both the airline and the union have framed the tentative deal as a step toward greater recognition and compensation for cabin crew while restoring stability to flight operations.