Mainline Bargaining Update #12 – Week 13 - YWG
Dear members,
This past week of bargaining took the Committee and Employer to Winnipeg. This marks the bargaining committee travelling to all permanent bases across the network since commencing bargaining.
The work continued with the committee continuing to draft initial proposals on Articles not yet tabled, and to work on counter proposals with our outstanding articles while we awaited several responses from the Employer.
As negotiations continue, the Bargaining Committee remains committed to securing an industry-leading contract. Recent discussions, however, show that the Employer is still returning to positions that do not reflect industry progress or the direction clearly set by the membership. Members were clear that change is needed, and we will continue to push for improvements. The articles returned by the Company this week reinforce that there is still a significant amount of work ahead.
This week we also took time to reflect on the makeup of our membership to ensure our communication remains meaningful and effective. Our group is incredibly diverse, and that diversity shapes the way we show up for one another. From those new to the company, or those approaching their 30-year anniversary, whether you joined as a direct‑entry Cabin Personnel, transferred or flowed from another unit, merged in from Sunwing or Swoop, or arrived through any other path, your presence and contributions matter. Every member is valued.
As difficult conversations continue, it’s through the membership we gain power. Small actions like wearing your union pin, sharing the Local’s social media, or having an Unpaid Work Won’t Fly tag on your luggage sends a message to the Company that we are engaged, united, and will not accept anything less than we deserve.
RESERVE SURVEY
Soon, we will be releasing our survey on Reserve. The Learning Series on Reserve, published on January 29, will help provide members with context for the questions included in the survey. A comprehensive explainer communication breaking down each individual question will also be released. All Cabin Personnel, not only Reserve Holders, are encouraged to participate.
ARTICLE TRACKER
The article tracker remains an important transparency tool and provides a clear indication of where progress has or has not occurred. While we cannot share the specific content of signed-off articles, making the tracker public allows members to monitor movement and understand where we are in the process.
To access the tracker: www.wjcomponent.ca/negotiation-tracker
UPCOMING BARGAINING WEEKS
Members have raised concerns around future bargaining dates and what the next few months look like. We have confirmed bargaining dates and some locations for March and April 2026.
February 23rd to 27th – YYC
March 2nd to 6th – YYC
March 16th to 19th – YVR
March 23rd to 26th – YYZ
April 7th to 10th – YYC
April 13th to 17th – Location TBD
Rumour Busting
The MESC Committee has added a new section on the Mainline Bargaining HQ webpage for providing information and busting commonly shared rumours. We are still in active negotiations with the goal of reaching a deal at the table; however, we know job action is on a lot of members’ minds. Should we reach a point where Job Action is being contemplated, we will advise the membership. The MESC Committee has broken down some of the job action related information for awareness purposes on this webpage and includes information on Strike Pay. More topics will be added to this page as common questions/themes are raised.
In Unity,
WestJet Bargaining Committee
Alia Hussain - President
Bryan Hansraj - WestJet Unit VP
Jean-Francois Laframboise - YVR/YEG Rep
Shane Campbell - YYC Rep
Justin Patterson - YYZ Rep
Cailey Millard - YWG/YUL Rep
Alex Grigoriev - Local Executive (Alternate)
Cameron Jones - Local Executive (Alternate)