(April 28, 2026 Revised for clarity and accuracy on Relief vs Temporary Roles)

Picking Up Shifts

Nothing changes here.

If you are trained and qualified in a role, you can pick up shifts in that role.

Examples:

• A CSA who becomes a GSL still holds their CSA qualifications and can pick up CSA shifts
• A CSA who moves into a DDC role can still pick up CSA shifts
• An employee can hold multiple relief qualifications and pick up shifts across all of them

This is how the system works today, and this continues under a collective agreement.

Temporary Assignments

There has been a suggestion that unionization would limit or remove opportunities.

That is not accurate.

Under a collective agreement:

• You can still apply for temporary or term roles, including ZM, GSM, and HDM
• Assignments run for defined periods, typically six months to two years
• You return to your home position at the end of the assignment

Clarifying Relief vs Temporary Roles

A key distinction:

• Relief work is within the bargaining unit and involves covering shifts or acting in roles you are already qualified for
• Temporary assignments are full placements into roles, often outside the bargaining unit, for a defined period

For example:

• A CSA cannot hold a day-to-day relief ZM role, as that would involve moving in and out of management status
• However, a CSA can apply for and hold a temporary ZM assignment for a defined period

This distinction already exists. A collective agreement simply formalizes it.

What the Collective Agreement Actually Provides

This is not theoretical. These provisions already exist in unionized WestJet locations.

The Unifor collective agreement confirms:

• Access to ad hoc opportunities and temporary assignments, including roles outside the bargaining unit
• Structured and transparent posting and selection processes within the bargaining unit
• Temporary assignments of up to 24 months, with extensions by agreement 
• The ability to move out of the bargaining unit temporarily and return
• Recognition and compensation for relief and higher duty work
• The ability to trade shifts and maintain day-to-day flexibility

Additional provisions support fair access to work and movement between roles.

When you put this together, the outcome is clear:

• Relief roles continue
• Cross training continues
• Flexibility continues
• Qualifications remain intact
• You return to your home position after assignments

The agreement does not restrict flexibility. It defines it, protects it, and applies it consistently.

Cross Training and Multi-Role Work

Nothing in the agreement removes your ability to work across roles.

If you are qualified:

• You can pick up shifts
• You can work in multiple roles
• You can continue to use your full skill set

The difference is that access to those opportunities is no longer dependent on discretion.

It is governed by clear and fair rules.

Guest Service Leads

There has also been messaging suggesting certain roles cannot exist in a union environment.

That is not accurate.

Guest Service Leads currently exist in unionized WestJet locations, including Calgary.

Union representation and leadership roles operate side by side.

Scheduling

This is where a collective agreement makes a meaningful difference.

The agreement establishes a Scheduling Committee made up of workers and the company.

This creates a process to:

• Raise scheduling concerns
• Address inconsistencies
• Improve how schedules are built

Combined with shift trading provisions, this gives you real input into your schedule.

Contracting Out

The agreement also includes protections around contracting out.

This means work cannot simply be moved or outsourced without accountability.

Given what is happening across the industry, this matters.

Why This Is Coming Up Now

This conversation is happening for a reason.

Workers in Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, and now Edmonton are moving in the same direction.

When workers are kept separate, it allows the company to:

• Apply different standards across bases
• Delay improvements
• Maintain control over decisions

When workers come together:

• Standards are negotiated collectively
• Improvements apply across locations
• Workers speak with one voice

That is where bargaining power comes from.

Ask Yourself

When you hear messaging that says wait, slow down, or step back, ask:

Who benefits from that?

Management represents the company. That is their role.

You have the right to decide what protects your interests.

Why YEG Matters

Right now, decisions about wages, scheduling, and working conditions are made elsewhere and applied to Edmonton.

Being part of the agreement means:

• You are at the table
• Your workplace is represented
• Improvements reflect your reality

When Edmonton joins, workers across YYC, YVR, YYZ, and YEG move forward together.

Final Word

This is your decision.

You deserve clear information.

You deserve a real say in your workplace.

We are close.

A few more supporters gets this across the line and puts Edmonton workers in a position to bargain with strength.

If you have questions, reach out.

Billy O'Neill
Unifor National Representative, Organizing
416.605.1443
billy.oneill@unifor.org

Lucy Alessio
Unifor National Coordinator, Organizing
416.998.3189
lucy.alessio@unifor.org