Dear Members,

Before each flight, it is important to ensure that you are fit for duty. You can do this by performing a self-check to assess your readiness for work. Workplace safety is among our top priorities, and we therefore encourage you to take all appropriate measures to ensure your safety and the safety of those around you.

Given the unpredictable nature of our jobs, it is vital to be prepared for any situation. While fatigue is always a concern, certain circumstances have led to elevated risks. Here are a few scenarios to be mindful of:

Reserve Holders:
Under the Collective Agreement, there is no maximum number of hours a reserve holder can be assigned. Reserve holders need to be especially vigilant and regularly assess themselves for signs of fatigue. 

European and Domestic Callouts:
Members may be called out after 12 hours of rest. This can lead to fatigue due to various factors and combinations of variables. Again, please self-assess your fitness for duty and if required follow the steps for booking off fatigued. 

Day Rest After a Red-Eye: 
While the current scheduling practices around day rest after red-eye flights do not violate the Collective Agreement, we understand the potential for increased fatigue. Specifically, we are pointing to recent pairings that include a red-eye flight with only 12-13 hours of day rest before operating again.  If you are assigned a pairing like this that you feel is fatiguing, you can proactively report it. If the fatigue team deems it as fatiguing, they can modify the pairing. We have been in contact with the fatigue team and SRC to advocate for modifications to these pairings in the future to better support your well-being. 

Please be proactive in monitoring your fatigue levels and report any concerns to ensure both your safety and the safety of our operations.

Please also refer to your respective collective agreement for the process on booking off.  

• WestJet: 34-29 BOOKING OFF FATIGUED  

• WestJet Encore: 34-25 BOOKING OFF FATIGUED 

Please ensure when you are reporting Fatigue that you send a copy of the report to your respective OHS committee below and include your Base Vice President. We have included some resources below to support our members in understanding signs and symptoms along with steps for both Proactive and Reactive Reporting.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Your CUPE 4070 Health and Safety Committee
WestJet ws.ohs@cupe4070.ca
WestJet Encore wr.ohs@cupe4070.ca