CALGARY, AB – Flight attendants with WestJet, represented by CUPE 8125, have issued 72-hour strike notice. WestJet then issued a 72-hour lockout notice.

From the beginning, flight attendants have been clear about what they are fighting for. Unfortunately, the parties are still too far apart on some key issues.

“We have been clear about what needs to change, and we have worked hard to reach a fair deal,” said Alia Hussain, President of CUPE 8125.

The strike notice does not mean flight attendants want to go on strike. CUPE 8125 has been clear throughout negotiations that its goal is to reach a fair agreement without disrupting passengers or the travelling public.

CUPE 8125 is also calling on the federal government to respect the collective bargaining process and allow the parties to reach a fair, negotiated agreement without government intervention.

“There’s still time to avoid a strike,” said Hussain. “We will continue to bargain around the clock until this is resolved. We want a fair contract for our members that recognizes the value of flight attendants’ work and recognizes our position as employees of the second-largest carrier in Canada. We look forward to further discussions with WestJet at the table so we can resolve this before August 2nd.”

CALGARY, AB – Canadians overwhelmingly support WestJet flight attendants in their fight for fair wages and an end to unpaid work, according to a new Abacus Data survey commissioned as flight attendants represented by CUPE 8125 prepare for potential strike action.

The survey, conducted July 17 to 19 among 1,500 Canadian adults aged 18 and over, found that the public is firmly on the side of flight attendants in their dispute with WestJet.

“The public understands what this fight is about: basic fairness,” said Alia Hussain, President of CUPE 8125. “Flight attendants are asking to be paid for all of the work they do. Canadians know that if you work, you should be paid for that work. It’s that simple.”

Nearly two-thirds of Canadians (64%) say they support flight attendants in the dispute, compared with just 11% who support WestJet. The survey also shows overwhelming public support for ending unpaid work. More than 8 in 10 Canadians (84%) agree that flight attendants should be paid for all work-related duties, including boarding, deplaning, delays and safety checks.

Canadians also believe WestJet can afford to do more. Nearly two-thirds (65%) say WestJet can afford to pay its flight attendants more, while only 14% believe the company’s current offer is as much as it can reasonably afford.

Support for strike action is particularly strong among WestJet customers. A staggering 83% say they would support flight attendants taking strike action to achieve their bargaining goals.

The survey also found that Canadians view flight attendants’ bargaining priorities as reasonable. Between 71% and 85% of Canadians say each of the key priorities tested is reasonable, including:

• 85% say flight attendants should be paid for all work performed;
• 81% support keeping wages in line with inflation;
• 82% support improving scheduling and fatigue protections; and
• 76% support raising pay to reflect the safety role of flight attendants.

“WestJet has a choice,” said Hussain. “It can continue asking flight attendants to work for free, or it can do the right thing and negotiate a fair agreement that recognizes the essential safety work flight attendants do every day. Canadians have made it clear where they stand. We hope WestJet and the federal government are listening.”

CUPE 8125 remains committed to reaching a fair agreement at the bargaining table. Flight attendants do not want to strike, but they are prepared to take action as early as tomorrow morning to achieve a fair deal and end unpaid work.

The union is calling on WestJet to return to the bargaining table with a serious commitment to resolving the outstanding issues and reaching an agreement that flight attendants can accept.

Edmonton, AB – Members of CUPE 37 and CUPE 38, both representing municipal employees in Calgary, have started to join their brothers and sisters in Edmonton as they continue to maintain the city’s safety after multiple storms.

In announcing the incoming support from Calgary workers, CUPE Alberta President Raj Uppal commended the members of CUPE 30 who have battled the storms in Edmonton to keep residents safe: “While Edmontonians faced the flooding, hail, winds, and even risk of tornadoes, it was the brave and capable teams of CUPE 30 workers from EPCOR Utilities Inc who reinstated the power and protected the power lines from fallen trees, it was CUPE 30 workers in road maintenance, and other City of Edmonton departments, who managed flooded roads, unstable trees, and even a sinkhole to ensure residents could be safe. We owe these brave workers a debt of gratitude for their Herculean efforts this summer- but especially this week when the storms became so dangerous.”

CUPE 30, representing more than 4000 members working in municipal operations for the City of Edmonton, City of Fort Saskatchewan, Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, Town of Thorsby, and EPCOR Utilities Inc., prides itself on the professional work of members. During the many storms of June and July in Edmonton, CUPE 30 members provided significant and critical work to keep Edmonton as safe as possible.

With Environment Canada forecasts remaining unsettled over the next few days the work of CUPE 30 will remain in the spotlight. President of CUPE 30, Amanda Mailman, thanked CUPE 37, CUPE 38, and CUPE Alberta for their support and added, “The dedication and professionalism of CUPE 30 members is legendary. Our members care about the safety of every Edmontonian. We are part of the community and are committed to ensuring our neighbours are safe when these storms occur. We appreciate the support from other locals as we provide the vital services Edmonton needs.”

TORONTO, ON – The Blue Jays’ bats may have been quiet on Tuesday night, but luckily dozens of WestJet flight attendants represented by CUPE 8125 were on site bringing the noise and raising awareness about unpaid work and low wages at WestJet, one of the Blue Jays’ signature sponsors.

Members of CUPE 8125 held an information picket outside the Skydome to talk with fans about the reality that flight attendants are expected to work without pay up to 35 hours per month at WestJet. Then, during the 7^th inning stretch, flight attendants also unveiled signage reading “UNPAID WORK WON’T FLY”, occupying four rows in the stands, bringing their message to thousands of baseball fans.

Their message was clear: it’s not the 9^th inning yet, but it’s time for WestJet to step up to the plate with a fair deal. Over ninety-nine percent of WestJet flight attendants recently authorized strike action if necessary to end unpaid work at the bargaining table, and they could be forced on strike if no resolution is reached by August 2.

The action is part of a growing national campaign by CUPE’s flight attendants to end the abuse of unpaid labour across Canada’s airline industry. Visit endunpaidwork.ca to learn more.

Edmonton, AB – The Alberta government has returned, again, to the failed approach of private-public partnership (P3) for the building and maintenance of schools in Alberta. The Government of Alberta announced in mid-July that seven elementary and junior high schools in Edmonton, Calgary, and Chestermere would be built using the controversial model.

Typically, a P3 model means the government contracts out the design, building, financing and maintenance of the building. While the government usually announces such P3s as a way to pay less for the construction, they often end up paying more in the long run because the deal means the government agrees to a form of rent over several decades.

P3s have led to accountability problems with the maintenance and upkeep of buildings. In some examples, schools did not have the ability to adjust thermostats and students and staff were sweating or shivering while the private company did not adjust the temperature.  The model is chosen by governments who wish to keep deferred maintenance debt “off the books” and pushed to future budgets. But since governments pay far less for financing than private companies, it is rarely an overall cost savings to use a P3 model.

We have asked before, and must ask again, how many times can Alberta conservatives make the same mistake? The government has twice abandoned this model in the past, and many other provinces have found that P3s do not add up.

CUPE Alberta President Raj Uppal raised the alarm bells. “Given the length of these contracts — often 30 years or more — and the government’s regular flip-flopping on the use of P3s, it seems a poor choice to build much-needed schools this way. Public institutions should be the owners of public assets like schools, hospitals, and the like. We should not be renting back our own public buildings.”

Calgary, AB – CUPE 8125, representing 4,400 WestJet flight attendants, announced the results of their members’ vote on strike action after months at the bargaining table. With a strong turnout of 97.3% of the members, over 99.4% voted to give their bargaining team strike authorization.

Following a 21-day cooling-off period, cabin crew could go on strike as early as August 2, 2026.

CUPE 8125 emphasized that, from the beginning, its goal has been to achieve a negotiated agreement and minimize any impact on travellers. Due to stalled negotiations with WestJet, this strike vote became necessary to move the process forward at the bargaining table.

Alia Hussain, CUPE 8125 President, called on WestJet to return to bargaining with a new focus. “The members of CUPE 8125 are united and determined. They voted to strike because they stand behind the bargaining priorities that they have identified, especially pay for all hours of work performed. WestJet should do the right thing and prevent travel disruptions for their passengers.”

WESTJET CABIN CREW TO HOLD DAY OF ACTION – CALGARY

CALGARY, AB – CUPE 8125, representing approximately 4,400 WestJet flight attendants, will hold a Day of Action while members vote on a possible strike that could start as early as August 2, 2026.  Alia Hussain, President of CUPE 8125, will be available to speak to the media.

DAY OF ACTION DETAILS:
Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Time: 11:30 am MST
Location: Near WESTJET CAMPUS, 22 Aerial Place NE, Calgary, AB

Members of the media are asked to park on the street in the area of 78th Ave and 22 St NE.

CALGARY, AB – WestJet Mainline flight attendants, represented by CUPE 8125, officially opened a strike vote today that will continue until July 15, 2026. The union is seeking a strong mandate from members to support its position at the bargaining table as negotiations continue under federal conciliation until July 11.

“Our goal remains the same as it has been from the beginning: to reach a fair, negotiated, collective agreement,” said Alia Hussain, President of CUPE 8125. “A strong strike mandate demonstrates that our members are united behind their bargaining committee and committed to achieving meaningful improvements.”

The union continues to negotiate key issues, including wages, compensation, scheduling, work-life balance, and other workplace improvements identified by members throughout the bargaining process.

A strike vote does not mean a strike will occur. It provides members with the opportunity to authorize strike action should it become necessary at a later stage of the bargaining process, while strengthening the bargaining committee’s position in negotiations.

“We are committed to reaching a negotiated settlement,” Hussain added. “We believe the best outcome is one achieved at the bargaining table, and we remain focused on securing an agreement that recognizes the value of the work WestJet flight attendants perform every day.”

The results of the strike vote will be released by CUPE 8125 following the close of voting on July 15. The earliest date a legal strike or employer lockout could occur is August 2, 2026.

June 30, 2026

Edmonton, AB – In a letter sent today to Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides, CUPE Alberta is calling for stable and predictable budgets that will allow schools and educators to fully and consistently support Alberta students. 

The Minister’s recent announcement of funding for additional complexity teams comes with a catch: there is no guarantee that the funding will continue beyond the next school year. 

“Without stable and predictable budgets, schools will never be able to attract and retain the high-quality staff needed to make these teams a success,” said Raj Uppal, CUPE Alberta President. 

“This sets up kids to fail. Without putting reliable and meaningful supports in place, inclusion isn’t possible and instead creates division and tension within learning environments,” she added.

Many school boards are only offering these complexity team roles as temporary positions due to the unclear nature of the funding commitment. This means that the highly qualified and experienced educational assistants that should be part of these teams are effectively being excluded from applying to these positions, as it would compromise their seniority and job security. Long-time employees shouldn’t be forced to take the gamble of a temporary position with unclear funding to support Alberta’s most vulnerable students.

“Our kids are still some of the lowest-funded in Canada,” said Uppal. “Alberta’s students and staff deserve better than throwing money at a bandaid solution and pitting children against one another to compete for resources.”

CUPE Alberta calls on the UCP government to provide robust, predictable, and sustainable long-term funding to public education.

EDMONTON – It may be fun to stay at the YMCA – but working there is another story.

The YMCA of Northern Alberta has removed three long-term employees who just happened to be leading an effort to get other employees to join the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).

The three employees have eight, ten, and twenty-two years of experience working for the employer. Two of them were well qualified for a new position posted one month after the layoff notices were delivered.

CUPE has filed an Unfair Labour Practices Complaint with the Alberta Labour Relations Board, calling for the employees to be given their jobs back and for a declaration that the YMCA is engaging in illegal behaviour.

“The YMCA is union busting,” said Raj Uppal, CUPE Alberta President. “When an employer goes after the union leadership – and only the leadership – it’s to stop the union from succeeding.”

“It’s illegal, and it’s disgraceful.”

CUPE and the YMCA have been requested to provide available dates for pre-hearing meetings between July and December 2026.