More than 800 flights on WestJet, Canada’s second-largest airline, were canceled over the weekend as nearly 700 mechanics went on strike.
The strike began Friday, shocking the company and would-be passengers who planned travel during a three-day weekend that includes Canada Day on Monday. Tens of thousands of people were stranded.
The airline also preemptively canceled 66 flights scheduled for Monday.
The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association had announced plans for the strike ahead of time, after 97% of its members rejected a proposed deal in May.
“We regret the disruption this will cause but WestJet is unwilling to negotiate an agreement that would have avoided this unfortunate situation,” the union said in a statement.
WestJet attempted to stop the strike by reaching out to the Canadian labor minister, who issued an order for binding arbitration.
However, the order did not prevent aircraft engineers and technicians at WestJet from going on strike, which they did Friday night.
WestJet slammed the striking workers, calling the move unprecedented and blaming “a rogue U.S. union that’s trying to make inroads into Canada and taking some practices in here that are very, very unusual,” the CBC reported. The AMFA is based in Aurora, Colo.
According to the union, on Sunday the sides remained “separated by a first-year economic difference of approximately 7%, less than $8 million.”
WestJet led all airlines worldwide with 77% of its flights canceled Sunday and 54% canceled Saturday, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.
With News Wire Services