WJ FA Strike Outcome Predictions

[rudder]

1. Parties will (eventually) reach a negotiated agreement? YES/NO

2. Liberal government will intervene (again)? YES/NO

3. If YES to #2, will arbitrator award more than last company offer? YES/NO

If past is prologue, then the AC FA script will unfold. Every govt sees more upside in defending passengers (and the employer) than organized labour. They have no problem accepting endorsements from union leaders during an election cycle, but seem loathe to defend the right to strike. I don't blame the employer - they have learned how to play the game as refereed by whatever Federal party is in control (or coalition).

I am certain that both AC and WJ costed out the financial consequence of a very short duration shutdown vs the aggregate long term impact of codifying higher costs in a CBA. The real comparison should be the cost of an indefinite shutdown but that seems no longer to apply in the new world of three day strike limitations courtesy of whomever is serving as the Minister of Labour.

Will know in a day or two.

[goingnowherefast]

The government burned their political capital on the AC FA strike. Voters got too tired of hearing the same old story, of big wigs planning on the government forcing an end to the dispute and fucking over the poor, low-income FAs.

WJ is also not a major player in the center of the universe (I mean Toronto), so fewer people to get pissed off at the government when their flight is canceled.

I'm also seeing a lot more news networks mention passenger protection requirements for travel disrupted by labour unrest. Instead of taking the free flight changes, make WJ pay for the disruption as per the CTA rules.

Corporate sympathy has eroded a lot, and the public is not willing to support a forced return to work order anymore. Therefore, the politicians aren't either.

I give them a week before WJ management makes an offer the FAs can accept. That's when I suspect the strike will get too expensive for the Onex overlords.

[Daniel Cooper]

The strike will mostly hurt Alberta and the federal government wants Albertans to feel like they are helpless without them so they may not intervene this time.

[7ECA]

It's CUPE, again, so the national leaders are going to know they can pushback hard against a Section 107 order. They've also got some public support/sympathy, but that quickly evaporates the longer a strike goes on.

But, WJ is no AC, and the smaller footprint means this strike can go on for longer without causing the same level of chaos that an AC strike can. Much to the chagrin of the Canadian Board of Trade and other pro-business organizations that are already crying for the Feds to step in and stop the "economic damage."

Not unlike AC, though, this won't last more than a week. I suspect a Section 107 order will come down, but any binding arbitration will award either the last offer or an AC like contract.

[lostav8r]

The strike will mostly hurt Alberta and the federal government wants Albertans to feel like they are helpless without them so they may not intervene this time.

What's the point of divisional posts? This is talking about the same PM who approved an Alberta pipeline a few weeks ago

[‘Bob’]

The strike will mostly hurt Alberta and the federal government wants Albertans to feel like they are helpless without them so they may not intervene this time.

What's the point of divisional posts? This is talking about the same PM who approved an Alberta pipeline a few weeks ago

Because logic doesn’t figure in their irrational hatred of the Liberals.


Mathematics doesn’t, either. What’s Westjet to Alberta? Where’s ONEX headquartered again?

It’s like thinking that the 2% GDP of oil with some of the poorest revenue captures of any industry (thanks to low taxes, subsidies, and corporate socialism like pipelines) somehow funds ALL of Canada.

[digits_]

1. Final TA will get voted down
2. Legal strike position
3. Some government intervention in some new fashion that prohibits a strike
4. FA will strike anyway and not recognize the new government attempt of intervention
5. Lots of public discussion if the attempted intervention is legal
6. FA strike will last for a week while everyone avoids any legal action to avoid having a judge rule if the attempt was actually legal
7. Discussion of 5 continues while the parties behind the scene make a deal
8. Deal will be different yet not much better than the initially voted down TA. One item that the news papers focus on will improve but a few tricks and tweaks will take it away from somewhere else.

That's my prognosis.

[rudder]

https://westjet.mediaroom.com/2026-08-0 ... disruption

[7ECA]

A surprisingly quick resolution, although maybe that's as a result of the leverage CUPE had found in relation to the Air Canada strike?

We'll have to see how the ratification vote goes, to see if this TA is acceptable to the membership.

[flyingpilot]

Does this mean that we as pilots also get some sort of duty pay for when we check in until checkout(for future contracts). We also do work too before and after brake release.

[Man_in_the_sky]

A surprisingly quick resolution, although maybe that's as a result of the leverage CUPE had found in relation to the Air Canada strike?

We'll have to see how the ratification vote goes, to see if this TA is acceptable to the membership.

So if that was signed this night. we can expect the details soon today, at least the big lines ?

[QKZXKV]

The strike will mostly hurt Alberta and the federal government wants Albertans to feel like they are helpless without them so they may not intervene this time.

What's the point of divisional posts? This is talking about the same PM who approved an Alberta pipeline a few weeks ago

Because logic doesn’t figure in their irrational hatred of the Liberals.


Mathematics doesn’t, either. What’s Westjet to Alberta? Where’s ONEX headquartered again?

It’s like thinking that the 2% GDP of oil with some of the poorest revenue captures of any industry (thanks to low taxes, subsidies, and corporate socialism like pipelines) somehow funds ALL of Canada.

"Irrational"

[pelmet]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/westjet-u ... -9.7294800

Congrats to 7ECA on his predictions.

7ECA gets the first and only prize which is a pair of tickets on any route that Westjet flies. But the first leg has to be taken within the next 24 hours and will have to use the phone lines to let them know which flight he wants.

Update: Flew AC today and the few WJ flights at the departure airport were on time. 7ECA should have made that booking.

[co-joe]

Does this mean that we as pilots also get some sort of duty pay for when we check in until checkout(for future contracts). We also do work too before and after brake release.

I think PD FAs are next at the table and could well see some pay for non flying duties, after that Jazz FAs maybe, followed by F8. As pilot contracts come up for negotiations we may start to see pilot groups get some credit for this although it has never been a priority for ALPA that I know of. Bring on the rising tide for all boats...