Air Canada labour deal may reshape pay for North American crew
MONTREAL: A crippling strike by Air Canada flight attendants that grounded thousands of flights over wages and unpaid labour is the latest blow to the airline industry's compensation system that does not fully pay cabin crew for their hours at work.
The union, representing more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants, said on Tuesday they reached a tentative deal that ends unpaid work, without sharing further details. Analysts said any gains could influence upcoming contract negotiations in North America.
The deal could also drive up structural costs in a cyclical industry. Labour is airlines' biggest operating expense after fuel.
The four-day strike that stranded more than 500,000 passengers mirrors unrest at US carriers, where flight attendants cannot walk off the job until the National Mediation Board grants permission.
But cabin crew at American, Southwest and Alaska Airlines last year rejected several contract deals, saying they did not address concerns about unpaid work.
Flight attendants at United Airlines last month voted down a US$6bil tentative labour agreement, which did not provide compensation for time on the ground before and after flights.
The Chicago-based airline's union is surveying its members before returning to bargaining in December. United and the union did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
While cabin crew get paid for a minimum number of hours, they are mostly compensated when planes are in motion, neglecting the crucial tasks performed during boarding, deplaning and other ground operations.
Unions said this amounts to significant unpaid labour.
In previous contract negotiations, airlines secured concessions from workers as the industry was struggling due to economic downturns or the pandemic.
But a runup in inflation, stagnant wages and increased workload have fuelled resentment among flight attendants, bolstering demands for a change in pay practices.
'The Air Canada strike helps negotiations everywhere. It defined the problem of ridiculous expectations for flight attendants to work without pay,' said Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents 55,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines, including United.
'The striking flight attendants are an inspiration to working people everywhere.'
Nelson spoke with Wesley Lesosky, head of Air Canada's flight attendants union to coordinate positions, representatives of both unions told Reuters.
Shanyn Elliott, an Air Canada Rouge flight attendant, said when she started work in 2017, she would pick up long-haul flights to earn extra pay as her C$23 (US$16.60) hourly wage did not cover the cost of living.
Adding to her frustration, frequent flight delays after the pandemic meant longer hours, said Elliott, who heads the strike committee for Air Canada flight attendants at the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
Air Canada chief executive officer Michael Rousseau said the industry needed to review its compensation models.
In an interview, he said the Canadian carrier has accepted the concept of ground pay, adding other airlines will likely look at their own models. — Reuters
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