Air Canada flight attendants picket at 4 major airports in what union calls national day of action

Globe and Mail

10 hours ago

Air Canada AC-T flight attendants gathered for simultaneous demonstrations outside airports in some major Canadian cities Monday as the clock ticked down toward a possible strike that could begin as soon as this weekend.
In what their union called a national day of action, members of the Air Canada component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees planned pickets at Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Vancouver International Airport and Calgary International Airport.
In Toronto, around 500 flight attendants in uniform began piling out of yellow school buses shortly before 1 p.m. ET, as they lined up in front of the departure gate entrances at Terminal 1 of Pearson airport.
They stood in silence for an hour, with some carrying signs reading 'unpaid work won't fly' and 'unfAir Canada.'
Some drivers in Vancouver honked in support as flight attendants stood silently for more than 30 minutes curbside outside the departures level.
The union said it is looking to raise awareness about what it calls 'poverty wages' and unpaid labour when planes aren't in the air.
In a statement, Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick said flights would not be affected by Monday's demonstrations and that customers should expect their travel to run as usual.
'Demonstrations of this nature are common during negotiations,' he said in an emailed statement.
'We respect our flight attendants' right to express themselves and note the union has said they will not affect Air Canada's operations.'
Toronto Pearson airport said on social media that staff would be on site Monday to assist passengers and help maintain the flow of traffic during the demonstration.
'To help avoid any potential delays, we recommend travellers give themselves extra time if they are flying out,' it added.
Explainer: Air Canada flight attendants could strike on Saturday. Here's what you need to know
Vancouver International Airport also said it did not expect the demonstration to affect travellers but advised them to check the status of their flight before coming to the airport.
Bargaining talks with the airline resumed last Friday after the union's members voted 99.7 per cent in favour of a strike mandate.
The vote, which wrapped last Tuesday, means flight attendants are in a strike position as of this Saturday at 12:01 a.m. ET. They must provide at least 72 hours' notice for any work action.
The two sides have been in contract talks since the beginning of the year. The strike mandate came after the airline and union concluded a conciliation process without reaching a deal.
At the Toronto airport demonstration on Monday, CUPE strike committee co-chair Shanyn Elliott told reporters that flight attendants currently make a starting wage of $1,900 per month.
She said that puts many flight attendants below the poverty line while having to live in the vicinity of major cities.
Many flight attendants rely on food banks provided at local Air Canada offices and live in shared rooms in bunk beds just to be able to make ends meet, she added.
'We have flight attendants who are fabulous at their job, and it could potentially be a breaking point between: 'Do I stay in a career I love, or do I allow myself to be able to eat?'' Elliott said.
Fitzpatrick said Air Canada 'remains at the bargaining table and is focused on achieving a negotiated settlement with CUPE.'
He said the airline hopes to reach a deal that 'recognizes the contributions of its flight attendants by making them the best paid in the country, and that also supports the competitiveness and long-term growth of the company.'
'Our goal is to achieve this without any disruption to travel,' said Fitzpatrick, adding Air Canada would not comment further on the substance of negotiations.
'For customers, there has been no impact and we continue to operate as normally and they can travel as planned.'
Air Canada has said it believes there's enough time to get a deal done and avoid interrupting the plans of thousands of travellers.
Should this change, however, the airline said it plans to notify customers via email and text message in advance of their travel.
Traveller Laurie Blad, who was en route Monday from Toronto to Sydney, Australia with a layover in Vancouver, said she was concerned about what her journey home will look like if Air Canada flight attendants go on strike.
Travelling with her two teenage kids, she said she was worried about whether they will be able to get back in time for the start of school at the beginning of September.
'It's just a concern that when you come back, you don't know when it's going to be,' she said.
'What's my accommodation going to look like? Will I be reimbursed when we come back? What's going to happen to our jobs that all start and (the kids) in school?'
For passengers whose itineraries potentially change mid-journey, Air Canada said it will 'actively explore all options to keep you travelling, including rebooking with other airlines on your behalf.'
The negotiations concern flight attendants working for Air Canada's main operations, as well as for Air Canada Rouge.