August 3, 2026
The Right Honourable Mark Carney
Prime Minister of Canada
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2
Re: Collaborative Bargaining and Modernizing Canada’s Aviation Sector
Dear Prime Minister Carney,
On behalf of the thousands of members of the Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU-CSC), I am writing to share our thoughts and perspectives regarding the tentative collective agreement reached at WestJet. As Canadians, we all share a common goal: a stable, safe, and prosperous country built on fair work, strong industries, and mutual respect. In this spirit of collaboration, we write to express our solidarity with WestJet’s dedicated workforce and to highlight the value of supporting a natural, negotiated process at the bargaining table.
This tentative agreement serves as a positive example of the strength of Canada’s democratic fabric. The right to bargain collectively, protected under Section 2(d) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, functions best when employers and unions are given the space to work through their challenges directly. Choosing not to invoke the intervention tools under Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code is a constructive choice that supports balanced, healthy, and productive workplaces. This approach has allowed the parties to reach a tentative agreement, which will now be put forward to the democratic vote by unionized Canadian workers.
WestJet’s flight crews and ground personnel perform demanding, highly skilled, and safety-critical work every day. They are outstanding ambassadors for our country, keeping Canadians connected from coast to coast. We are encouraged to see this tentative agreement takes positive, modern steps to update industry compensation practices by introducing a duty period premium. Properly recognizing and compensating cabin crew members for all hours they spend on duty, including pre-flight checks and boarding, is a constructive modernization that will improve worker retention, boost morale, and ensure Canada’s aviation sector remains a global leader in fair labour practices.
This positive milestone aligns with Canada’s proud tradition of supporting international standards, including our commitments as a signatory to the core conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO). By championing free, uncoerced collective bargaining at home, Canada continues to demonstrate leadership on the world stage as a nation that values democratic dialogue and economic fairness.
Prime Minister, as we look to the future, the Confederation of Canadian Unions stands ready to work with your government, employers, and our fellow unions to build a more collaborative and stable national labour relations environment. To support this ongoing progress, we offer the following constructive perspectives:
• Support the natural collective bargaining process as a standard practice for federally regulated labour disputes, allowing the parties to foster mutual consensus and build stronger partnerships directly.
• Initiate a collaborative, tripartite dialogue, bringing together government, employers, and labour representatives, to review and modernize the Canada Labour Code. This dialogue offers a valuable opportunity to ensure we protect established open periods from being shortened, thereby ensuring that Canadian workers always have a fair, transparent, and equal opportunity to fully understand their options and democratically vote on who represents them.
• Support ongoing industry-wide reforms that ensure all Canadian workers are fairly compensated for their total hours on duty, strengthening the long-term stability and safety of our travel networks.
True stability and progress in our workplaces are built from the ground up when we treat one another with dignity and negotiate in good faith. The CCU-CSC remains committed to supporting this collaborative path to ensure a bright, fair, and prosperous future for all Canadian workers.
Sincerely,
Shawn Campbell
President, Confederation of Canadian Unions
[email protected]
ccu-csc.ca
CC: Minister of Jobs and Families Patti Hajdu
Minister of Transportation Steven MacKinnon
