Dear Members,
The Bargaining Committee wants to provide a direct update on where negotiations stand and give members a clear understanding of the challenges we continue to face at the bargaining table.
For more than six months, we have been actively engaged in bargaining with the Company. Over the last two and a half months, your Bargaining Committee has been working five days a week, dedicated to the bargaining process, including meeting with the Company at the bargaining table, reviewing proposals, developing solutions to outstanding issues, and preparing for upcoming bargaining sessions. Throughout this process, we have remained focused on ensuring the priorities of our membership identified through the Bargaining Priorities Survey, continue to guide and shape negotiations with the Company.
Despite our sustained efforts and commitment to reaching an agreement, we want to express our growing frustration with the pace of negotiations. While some progress has been made, many key articles remain unresolved. We recognize that our members are eager to see bargaining conclude, and we share that desire. We believe it is important to communicate our concerns about the pace of progress and the need for meaningful movement toward a fair agreement.
Regardless of the challenges outlined above, we were able to reach an Agreement in Principle on two additional articles, bringing our current total to 38:
Article 12 – Union-Management Relations
Article 39 – Training
While these agreements represent progress, significant issues remain outstanding, and negotiations are becoming increasingly challenging.
We continue to push for solutions that address the concerns and priorities raised by members. However, progress on several key issues remains limited, resulting in unnecessary delays and preventing the parties from moving toward a fair and comprehensive settlement.
Our commitment remains to approach every discussion with transparency, respect, and a steadfast focus on fairness. Transparency also requires us to be honest about the challenges we face and the pace of progress at the bargaining table.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
We want to be direct: bargaining is only going to get more difficult from here. As negotiations reach the most challenging issues, the decisions made at the table will have a lasting impact on our future. This is the stage where outcomes are determined, and where the strength of our position matters most.
Our leverage at the bargaining table comes directly from the visible support and engagement of our membership. Every interaction, every show of solidarity, and every member wearing their Union pin sends a clear message to the Company that Cabin Crew Members are united behind the priorities being advanced at the table. When Cabin Crew Member participation declines, the Company notices. Our collective voice is diminished, and it becomes harder to secure the improvements we are fighting for.
The Bargaining Committee cannot do this work alone. Achieving a strong agreement requires all of us to play our part. The Company's actions at the table are influenced not only by the proposals we put forward, but by the strength, unity, and commitment they see from the membership we represent.
Now is not the time to step back. It is time to stay informed, stay engaged, and stand together. By continuing to show your support and solidarity, we strengthen our ability to push for meaningful improvements and a fair agreement.
Together, we are building the foundation for a stronger, fairer, and more sustainable future for all WestJet Encore Cabin Crew. The work is not over, and neither is our determination to achieve the contract our members deserve.
How You Can Continue to Support Bargaining
As bargaining progresses, your support remains essential to the work being done at the table. Members can continue to show their support by:
Ensuring your fellow CCMs are signed up to receive union communications through Union Email Sign-Up.
Remaining engaged and united throughout the bargaining process by wearing your union pin and unpaid work luggage tag.
Following, liking, and sharing our content on Facebook and the New @encorecabincrew on Instagram to help keep members informed and engaged.
Look for opportunities to join the MESC Committee here.
Your unity and visible support are essential as we enter the most challenging stage of bargaining. The strength we demonstrate now will directly impact our ability to achieve the improvements members have told us are necessary.
We ARE Encore
WestJet Encore Bargaining Committee
Alia Hussain - alia.hussain@wjcomponent.ca
Jennifer Kuhnert - jennifer.kuhnert@wjcomponent.ca
Natasha Selby - natasha.selby@wjcomponent.ca
Maria Gaw - maria.gaw@wjcomponent.ca