WestJet flight attendants vote overwhelmingly in favour of strike action

The union representing 4,400 WestJet flight attendants says its members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking strike action amid stalled contract negotiations with the airline.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 8125 announced that 99.4 per cent of voting members supported a strike mandate, with 97.3 per cent of eligible members participating in the vote.

Following the vote, the union and WestJet will enter a mandatory 21-day cooling-off period, during which both sides can return to the bargaining table and attempt to reach a new agreement.

If a deal is not reached, a strike could begin as early as August 2.

In a statement, CUPE said its primary goal remains reaching a negotiated agreement that would minimize disruption for passengers.

The union said the strike vote became necessary after it became clear that negotiations had reached an impasse. Both sides are now expected to resume discussions in an effort to resolve the dispute before any job action takes place.