WestJet is pulling flights off their schedule in fears a maintenance crew strike could create even more problems across their network.

The summer of labor strikes could be coming – and if it is, it’s starting with WestJet Airlines.

Reuters reports WestJet maintenance engineers have given the carrier a 72-hour strike notice, forcing the airline to cancel flights and consolidate others.

Walkout Would Leave WestJet Without Over 600 Technical Employees

The strike notice was given to WestJet on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Organization. If the strike were to begin on Thursday night, over 600 technical employees, including maintenance engineers, would walk out from their positions.

As a result, WestJet is in the process of cancelling some flights, while consolidating others to anticipate issues created by the strike. So far, 40 flights have been cancelled for June 18 and 19, 2024, affecting around 6,500 customers.

In hopes of avoiding the employee walkout, the Canadian Industrial Review Board will hold hearings with both sides. The board has a wide range of actions they can take, including ordering mediation to avoid a full-out strike.

WestJet has not announced if further flights would be cancelled because of the potential strike. Labor officials in Canada are hopeful that the hearings will cool down the walk-off threat and allow the airline to maintain normal operations.

If the workers are allowed to leave their jobs, it would mark the first major labor strike of the year and could open the door for additional action. Earlier in June 2024, members of U.S. Congress asked the National Mediation Board to take action in the case between American Airlines and their flight attendants union to break their stalemate, including allowing them to strike.

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