WestJet flight attendants vote overwhelmingly for strike as early as Aug. 2

WestJet flight attendants have voted nearly unanimously in favor of a strike, a move that could ground Canada's second-largest airline as early as August 2. The strike authorization, with 99.4% support from CUPE Local 8125 members, affects about 4,400 flight attendants.

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WestJet flight attendants have voted 99.4 per cent in favour of a strike, which could leave many Canadian travellers facing potential flight disruptions amid summer vacations.

With the vote results announced Wednesday morning, union members could legally walk off the job just before a statutory holiday, raising concerns for Canadian travelers already navigating peak summer vacation season. This potential disruption follows a similar situation last August when 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants went on strike over unpaid work.

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With the results of the vote coming in Wednesday morning, about 4,400 union members represented by CUPE Local 8125 could legally walk off the job as early as Aug. 2.

Negotiations between WestJet and the union have been ongoing for approximately 10 months. The high strike vote indicates significant dissatisfaction among flight attendants, setting the stage for possible flight disruptions if a new collective agreement is not reached.

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A CUPE representative told Global News that 97.3 per cent of flight attendants participated in the vote.