CUPE WestJet, Letter of Support OSBCU 29.07.2026
July 29, 2026
Alia Hussain
President, CUPE Local 8125 WestJet Cabin Crew
Subject: Congratulations on an excellent strike vote! The OSBCU stands in solidarity with WestJet Cabin Crew
On behalf of 57,000 CUPE education workers across Ontario, the Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU) extends our full and unwavering support to our sisters, brothers, and siblings at CUPE Local 8125.
Your members just sent an unmistakable message. With 97.3 per cent of you casting a ballot, and 99.4 per cent voting yes, this is one of the strongest strike mandates any group of workers in this country has delivered. That is not just a number, it’s 4,400 flight attendants standing shoulder to shoulder in solidarity, showing WestJet that you will not accept unpaid work as a condition of employment.
In 2022, 55,000 OSBCU members stood up against Doug Ford’s unconstitutional back-to-work legislation. We walked out, defied Bill 28, and faced down the threat of massive fines. In those critical days, we felt the solidarity of workers across this country, including CUPE members. We know what it takes to hold the line, and we know what it costs. We see that same resolve in you.
We also understand the moment you are walking into. Less than a year ago, Air Canada flight attendants faced a federal government that sided with the employer, invoking Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to shut down a legal strike and force workers into arbitration. That was a gross abuse of power, and it set a dangerous precedent. Workers should never have to wonder whether their charter-protected right to strike will be respected or overridden the moment it becomes inconvenient for a corporation’s bottom line.
Pay for every hour worked is not a radical demand. It is the floor. The practice of unpaid ground and boarding work is rampant in Canada’s airline industry, and it must end, for you and for every worker who comes after you.
Whatever the coming weeks bring, know that OSBCU is standing with you. If it comes to the picket line, we will be there with you, in spirit and in solidarity. If the government or WestJet attempt to interfere with your legal right to strike, we will raise our voices alongside yours.
To every WestJet Cabin Crew ready to stand up for a fair contract, we commend your courage. Know that you are not alone.
In solidarity,
Joe Tigani
President, OSBCU