The Canadian Union of Public Employees’ Local 8125, which represents approximately 4,400 WestJet mainline flight attendants, issued a 72-hour strike notice on July 30. The bargaining dispute is centred on how flight attendants are paid for duties performed before departure and after arrival. CUPE wants cabin crew compensated from check-in through clock-out, including boarding, safety inspections, passenger assistance, and other ground duties. WestJet says cabin crew are paid through a credit-hour model rather than a conventional hourly system. “There’s still time to avoid a strike,” CUPE 8125 President Alia Hussain said.