Air Canada flight attendants to picket at four Canadian airports
The Canadian Union of Public Employees said in a statement on Sunday that the demonstrations would take place at airports in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary at 1 p.m. ET.
Negotiators for the two sides returned to the bargaining table on Friday after flight attendants overwhelmingly approved a strike mandate last week that could allow them to walk off the job as early as August 16.
The union said the main issues include making sure the airline's 10,000 flight attendants get paid for all working hours, not just when planes are in motion, and improving "poverty wages that are no longer consistent with the economic reality of 2025."
"The standard simply can't be maintained because it's no longer acceptable,' says Wesley Lesosky, president of the union unit for Air Canada.
Historically, airlines have paid cabin crew when planes are in motion. But in their latest contract negotiations, North American flight attendants have sought compensation for hours worked including tasks like boarding passengers and waiting before and between flights at the airport.
CUPE said the demonstration on Monday is not a strike and will not affect the Air Canada's operations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
7 minutes ago
- The Independent
Air Canada to begin cancelling flights ahead of possible strike by flight attendants
Air Canada said Wednesday it will begin a gradual suspension of flights to allow an orderly shutdown of the country's largest airline as it faces a potential work stoppage by its flight attendants on Saturday. The airline said the first flights will be cancelled Thursday, with more on Friday and a complete cessation of flying by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge by the weekend. The union representing around 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants issued a 72-hour strike notice Wednesday. In response, the airline issued a lockout notice. Air Canada said customers whose flights are cancelled will be notified and they will be eligible for a full refund. The company also said it has made arrangements with other Canadian and foreign carriers to provide customers with alternative travel options to the extent possible. 'We regret the impact a disruption will have on our customers, our stakeholders and the communities we serve,' Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau said in a statement. On Tuesday, Air Canada said it had reached an impasse with the union as the two sides remained far apart in contract talks. The union has said its main sticking points revolve around what it calls flight attendants' 'poverty wages' and unpaid labor when planes aren't in the air. 'Despite our best efforts, Air Canada refused to address our core issues,' the union said in a bargaining update posted online. The union rejected a proposal from the airline to enter a binding arbitration process, saying it prefers to negotiate a deal that its members can then vote on.
Reuters
38 minutes ago
- Reuters
Air Canada set to halt flights as cabin crew warn of strike over pay deal
Aug 13 (Reuters) - Air Canada ( opens new tab is preparing to halt most of its flights after its flight attendants' union served a 72-hour strike notice on Wednesday, warning of a walkout as contract talks over a pay deal stall. The Canadian Union of Public Employees, representing more than 10,000 cabin crew at the country's largest carrier, took the step just hours after the airline asked Ottawa to step in. The strike is set to begin at about 1 a.m. ET on Saturday. Earlier this month, 99.7% of employees represented by the union voted for a strike. The disruption would affect about 130,000 customers a day, Air Canada said, adding that customers would be fully refunded for canceled flights during the busy summer season. The strike could hit some of the carrier's most lucrative routes between Canada, the U.S., Europe and Asia as it prepares to wind down operations over the next three days. A prolonged work stoppage could lead to flight cancellations and higher ticket prices at rival carriers. The airline also issued a lockdown notice beginning 32 minutes after the strike. It had declared a deadlock in negotiations on Tuesday, after the union rejected its proposal for binding arbitration. The carrier had offered a 38% increase in total compensation for flight attendants over four years, with a 25% raise in the first year. However, the union said the offer was "below inflation, below market value, below minimum wage - and still leaves flight attendants unpaid for all hours of work". Most airlines pay cabin crew only for time spent in flight, but flight attendants in North America are seeking pay for all hours worked, including boarding and waiting at airports before and between flights. "While we remain available for discussions with CUPE, we have requested government-directed arbitration as we now view it as the only certain avenue to bring closure to bargaining," Air Canada said in a statement.
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Air Canada flight attendants set 72-hour strike deadline for pay deal
Aug 13 (Reuters) - The Canadian Union of Public Employees, representing more than 10,000 Air Canada ( opens new tab cabin crew, on Wednesday gave the airline a 72-hour deadline to reach a pay deal or face strike, hours after the carrier asked sought federal government intervention. The strike is set to begin at about 1 a.m. ET on Saturday. Earlier this month, 99.7% of employees represented by the union voted for a strike. The airline, which has warned of potential flight disruptions, declared a deadlock in negotiations on Tuesday, after the union rejected its proposal for binding arbitration. The carrier had offered a 38% increase in total compensation for flight attendants over four years, with a 25% raise in the first year. However, the union said the offer was "below inflation, below market value, below minimum wage - and still leaves flight attendants unpaid for all hours of work". Most airlines pay cabin crew only for time spent in flight, but flight attendants in North America are seeking pay for all hours worked, including boarding and waiting at airports before and between flights. The airline had on Wednesday issued a lockout notice to employees, which would start 32 minutes after the strike begins.
