WestJet employees worried as wage subsidy cut in half

WestJet employees coming to terms with their new normal as the airline industry feels the financial hit of COVID-19. With their wage subsidy cut in half, many are thinking about the future of their careers and their mounting bills as they sit in limbo. Jackie Perez reports.

CALGARY (CityNews) – WestJet employees have been left to contemplate the future of their industry, their career, and paying their bills as the federal wage subsidy was cut in half.

It’s left many workers forced to take mandatory leave in limbo as one flight attendant speaks out on the struggles she’s faced since being furloughed due to COVID-19.

“Our entire industry has been decimated. I was heartbroken, I love flying.”

Sylvia Alves is one of about 3,100 WestJet employees put on furlough back in April. She said the wage subsidy gave her a sense of hope to make it through the pandemic.

“We were fortunate enough to get wage subsidy and we’ve been trying to make ends meet since.”

RELATED: WestJet tells workers their pay will be cut by half due to wage subsidy changes

Alves said that hope is fading as the airline is telling staff on the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), they will see their weekly pay drop from $847 to $400.

“Cutting someone’s wage subsidy by about 53 per cent is a tough pill to swallow,” said Chris Rauenbusch, President of CUPE 4070.
The union, which represents WestJet flight attendants, said they’re calling on the federal government to take action before the next paycheque arrives.

In a statement to CityNews, WestJet said it doesn’t implement any changes to the administration of the CEWS program until such time as any changes are passed into legislation.

“This is a crisis we’ve never seen in our lifetime and people need help,” said Rauenbusch.

Alves has since taken up gardening as a way to pass time and cut food costs. She also managed to get a part-time job at a bar to help pay for bills and her rent where she lives with two other roommates.

She worries it won’t be enough, especially when she doesn’t know when or if she’s heading back to work.

“If wage subsidy ends and I can’t find more work, I will be on that boat of struggling to figure out how to pay my bills. I want to fly again…, I want to be back in the skies.”

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