WestJet cancels flights as surprise strike begins on long weekend
Global News
WestJet maintenance crews are on strike in a surprise move ahead of the Canada Day long weekend, forcing the Calgary-based airliner to cancel flights in the busy travel period.
WestJet says it’s cancelled at least 150 flights beginning Saturday after the union maintaining the airline’s planes announced it went on strike hours earlier.
The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) announced its members started to strike around 5:30 p.m. MDT Friday because the airline’s “unwillingness to negotiate with the union made the strike inevitable.”
The move came after the federal government issued a ministerial order for binding arbitration on Thursday.
The order also followed two weeks of turbulent discussions with the union on a new deal.
Calgary-based WestJet has lambasted the move by the mechanics union, saying it’s “extremely outraged at these actions and will hold AMFA 100 per cent accountable for the unnecessary stress and costs incurred as a result.”
On Thursday, WestJet said that AMFA “confirmed they will abide by the direction. Given this, a strike or lockout will not occur, and the airline will no longer proceed in cancelling flights.”
The change in position on Friday seemed to shock both travellers and executives alike.
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