These are stressful days for our sisters and brothers working onboard as flight attendants and pilots. 

The crash this past week of the Ethiopian Air Boeing 737 Max 8 killed 157 people, including 18 Canadians. Unifor sends its condolences to all the victims of the crash - which includes families, aid workers, climate change activists heading to a conference and the crew - and their families. 

This tragic crash is having ripple effects across the industry as the safety of the plane, an upgraded version of one of Boeing’s most popular aircrafts, is questioned. On Wednesday, Canada and the United States joined countries around the world in grounding the planes as a precautionary measure.

WestJet has 13 of the 737 Max planes, while Air Canada has 24. 

The situation is causing chaos at airports across the country as flights are cancelled and passengers are offered new flights as the 737 Max is taken out of service – all during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year and inevitably adding to the stress of your jobs.

Throughout this week, both CUPE and ALPA, which represent WestJet in-flight crew members, have been discussing with the company the safety of the plane and the importance of ensuring a safe working environment for their members. As unionized workers, both flight attendants and pilots have a voice in the workplace during this stressful time. 

Unifor would like to send its support to WestJet customer service agents, guest service ambassadors, baggage service agents, turn around crew members and call centre workers who are no doubt going through a tough week.

We are here for you, and ready to talk any time you like.