CALGARY — WestJet and the union representing some 4,400 flight attendants have agreed to an operational wind-down plan should a strike go ahead as soon as this Sunday.

With the clock ticking down, the two sides this week inked an agreement that lays out how to ground planes and get cabin crew back home in the event of a work stoppage. Cabin crew working a flight when any job action kicks off would complete the trip to its destination. Those who can’t immediately return to their home city would receive hotel accommodation for up to a week or a plane ride back to another Canadian city, ‘subject to seat availability,’ according to the deal.

However according to the CBC, WestJet’s VP, Inflight Operations, Robert Antoniuk, told WestJet employees in a memo that the wind-down plan “is not an indication of escalation toward labour action.”

Travelweek asked aviation industry expert John Gradek for his take on the wind-down agreement. 

“All’s fair in negotiations … down to the last minute, these tactics are used to pressure a party to back down from their position and accept an agreement,” said Gradek. 

The document underscores the looming possibility of a labour disruption, and comes after cabin crew at the Calgary-based airline voted 99% in favour of a strike mandate in mid-July.

Since then, bargaining teams have conducted  negotiations on a new contract as a mandatory cooling-off period draws to a close, as reported earlier today.

Unless a deal is reached, some flights could start to be grounded by Friday. Past airline labour standoffs have prompted a ramp-up in flight cancellations a couple of days before a strike, which must be preceded by a 72-hour warning from the union.

WestJet says passengers with flights scheduled any time between July 30 and Aug. 4 can make a one-time change or cancel it with no fee.

Travellers booked on its regional WestJet Encore service or code-share flights run by an airline partner such as Delta Air Lines will not be affected by a strike.

Compensation for work done on the ground remains a key stumbling block in the talks, less than a year after the same issue sparked a work stoppage by 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada.

On its site WestJet notes: “WestJet cabin crew are paid using a credit hour system, which is the standard pay model for cabin crew across North America. Block hours start when the aircraft leaves the gate and end when it arrives at the gate. We’ve heard clearly that many of our crew feel this system requires improvements. We also know their current compensation requires adjustments in the context of inflation, and we take that seriously. We’re prepared to make meaningful improvements in both regards. We are in active, constructive talks with the union and are confident an agreement can be reached.”

With file from The Canadian Press