Air Canada, flight attendant union head to conciliation amid impasse in negotiations
The union representing Air Canada flight attendants says it has filed for conciliation with the federal labour minister after reaching an impasse in contract negotiations with the airline.
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The Air Canada component of CUPE, which represents 10,000 Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flight attendants, said its top priority is boosting compensation, noting an entry-level full-time salary is roughly $1,951 per month.
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Its previous contract with the airline, which had been in effect since 2015, expired in March.
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'Everything has changed since 2015, but the company refuses to acknowledge reality,' said union president Wesley Lesosky in a press release.
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'Our workloads have soared, the cost of living has skyrocketed beyond belief, and our working conditions are getting worse by the day. The status quo won't cut it.'
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The union also wants to close 'loopholes' in the Canada Labour Code that it says allow airlines to force flight attendants to work an average of 35 hours per month without pay.
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It said its members complete certain tasks without compensation, such as boarding and deplaning, assisting passengers with mobility issues, and performing pre-flight safety checks.
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In a statement, Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick said the airline plans to work with the federal mediation and conciliation service to reach a deal that 'recognizes our flight attendants' valued contributions to Air Canada.'
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'Air Canada has a long history of successful labour relations and fruitful negotiations with its employees, as has again been demonstrated in the recent past,' he said.
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'The federally mandated conciliation process will occur over the coming months, so customers can continue to book and travel on Air Canada with full confidence.'
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Fitzpatrick declined to comment on specifics related to ongoing negotiations regarding compensation, but said the model currently in place is consistent with that at most global carriers.
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'That said, we are certainly open to discuss this item with the union as part of a more general conversation about overall compensation in our contract talks,' he said.
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Canada News.Net
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Air Canada faces strike threat as attendants demand pay overhaul
MONTREAL/TORONTO: Air Canada is facing mounting pressure in contract talks after hundreds of its cabin crew members staged demonstrations at major airports, protesting against unpaid labor and demanding wage increases. At Toronto Pearson International Airport, about 700 mostly female flight attendants in dark grey uniforms carried signs declaring "unpaid work won't fly," according to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents more than 10,000 Air Canada attendants. The union said a strike could be called as early as August 16 if no deal is reached. The timing threatens to disrupt Canada's largest airline's peak summer travel season. The company recently reported a drop in second-quarter profit due to weaker passenger traffic to the U.S. market. The dispute centers on the airline's long-standing pay structure. Like most carriers, Air Canada only pays cabin crew from the time an aircraft begins moving. CUPE wants attendants compensated for all hours worked, including boarding, deplaning, safety checks, waiting between flights, and handling emergencies. Strike committee chair Shanyn Elliott said attendants average about 35 hours of unpaid work per month. She also pointed out that the last contract was signed a decade ago, leaving wages trailing inflation and forcing some attendants to rely on food banks or share bunk rooms. CUPE is also seeking higher pay for recruits, saying the current rates are unsustainable given the cost of living. Air Canada said it remains committed to negotiating an agreement that would make its flight attendants the highest paid in the country while ensuring the company's long-term growth. The protests did not disrupt flights, and both sides say they prefer to reach a deal at the bargaining table. Federal mediators are involved in the talks, and Canada's Minister of Jobs and Families has expressed confidence in the process. The push from Air Canada's attendants mirrors a broader trend across North America, where cabin crew at several U.S. airlines have won improved pay and compensation for pre-flight duties through recent negotiations. Passengers watching Monday's demonstrations expressed mixed feelings. "I hope flight attendants get a fair contract and they deserve it," said 73-year-old traveler Jim Ken, who was flying to Malta. "I just hope everything goes smoothly… for both sides." Jennifer Kozelj, press secretary to Canada's Minister of Jobs and Families, said both sides are working with federal mediators. "We have faith in their ability to reach an agreement. Canadians expect them to work this out at the bargaining table."
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Air Canada, flight attendants yet to call 72-hour notice of job action
MONTREAL — There's no word yet whether Air Canada and the union representing some 10,000 of its flight attendants have averted a possible strike or lockout that could begin as soon as Saturday. The Air Canada component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees will be in position to strike as of 12:01 a.m. ET on Saturday. That means the required 72 hours' notice for any job action could be given at any point. However, there is so far no indication from either side that notice of strike or a lockout has been served, or that a tentative deal that would avert a work stoppage has been reached. Air Canada said on Tuesday afternoon it has reached an 'impasse' in negotiations with the union, which on Tuesday said it declined a proposal from the airline to enter a binding arbitration process. In a statement, the airline said in the event of a stoppage, it would notify customers whose flights are potentially cancelled and they will be eligible for a full refund, which could be obtained through its website or the Air Canada mobile app. It said it has made arrangements with other Canadian and foreign carriers and Via Rail to provide customers alternative travel options 'to the extent possible.' Earlier Tuesday, CUPE said in an update to members that the company has 'decided they no longer want to negotiate.' The union attached a letter that it received from Air Canada, dated Monday, in which the airline proposed going the arbitration route to secure a new contract. That would have suspended the union's right to strike, as well as Air Canada's right to lock out union members, the letter noted. Last week, the flight attendants voted 99.7 per cent in favour of giving their union a strike mandate, which is effective for 60 days. 'After eight months of negotiation, we have been unable to reach a tentative collective agreement despite our best efforts and those of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service,' stated the Air Canada letter, signed by executive vice-president and chief human resources officer Arielle Meloul-Wechsler. 'Engaging in interest arbitration will let the flight attendants, CUPE, Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge move forward without further delay and uncertainty, both of which weigh on us all.' The letter pointed out that Air Canada and CUPE have successfully used arbitration in previous negotiations. But CUPE called it a 'proposal to preserve an exploitative system and strip away (members') voice.' 'Everyone knows that the best deals are made at the bargaining table, not handed down by an outside third party,' the union said in its message to members. It said that, unlike with a tentative agreement reached through negotiations, members would not get a chance to vote on an arbitrator's decision, which would be final. The union also said arbitrators 'rely on precedent and the status quo to make their determinations,' which runs counter to its objectives in bargaining talks. 'Air Canada flight attendants are trying to break the status quo by ending the historic abuse of unpaid work in this industry,' it said. 'Air Canada wants an arbitrator to do their dirty work for them to keep the status quo intact.' The union has said its main sticking points revolve around what it calls flight attendants' 'poverty wages' and unpaid labour when planes aren't in the air. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2025
CBC
3 hours ago
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Air Canada flight attendants intend to strike this weekend, union says
The union representing Air Canada's flight attendants has signalled that its members intend to go on strike this weekend, paving the way for workers to walk off the job as early as Saturday morning. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) gave the carrier a requisite 72-hour notice after the two sides reached an impasse in negotiations. The earliest workers can walk off the job is on Saturday at 12:01 a.m. ET. The two sides have been negotiating a new collective agreement since March, going over key issues like wages, work rules and unpaid hours. Air Canada said late Tuesday afternoon that the two sides were far apart in negotiations. CBC News reported on Tuesday that CUPE had declined a proposal by Air Canada to resolve the talks through binding interest arbitration, and that both the union and the airline were back to reviewing each others' proposals.
