WestJet and cabin crew union ratify five-year collective agreement

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WestJet and the union representing more than 3,100 in-flight cabin crew members have ratified their first collective agreement, the Calgary-based airline announced Saturday.

The deal with CUPE Local 4070 is nearly two years in the making. The air carrier and the union have been engaged in collective bargaining since April 2019.

WestJet and cabin crew union ratify five-year collective agreement Back to video

Among the 2,489 union members who cast a vote, 1,663, or 66.8 per cent were in favour of ratifying the agreement.

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In a memo to members, CUPE union president Chris Rauenbusch called the deal “historic.”

The comment follows others made by Rauenbusch when the tentative agreement was reached March 1. At the time, he praised the agreement as “an unprecedented achievement” amid struggles in the travel industry due to restrictions related to COVID-19.

“In the past year, over 90 per cent of our members have been grounded due to the pandemic,” Rauenbusch said at the time.

“To achieve a constructive tentative agreement in this environment is remarkable.”

In a news release, WestJet president Ed Sims said he was pleased with the agreement.

“The resulting agreement is a reflection of the interest-based bargaining required to achieve this positive outcome and it is a strong example of how we can work together, respectfully with dedication and professionalism, to benefit our employees and our guests during these challenging times,” Sims said.

The agreement is in place retroactively dating to March 1, 2021. Some changes, like increases to per diem payments, will be effective back to that date; other details will be phased in beginning April 1.

The deal will continue until the end of 2025.

The agreement applies to WestJet cabin crew members, but not those who work for the company’s subsidiaries, Encore and Swoop.

International air travel has ground to a halt in Canada after airlines agreed to unprecedented travel restrictions in late January, barring flights to Mexico and the Caribbean.

The decision led to the layoffs of 120 WestJet cabin crew members, the company said.