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Global News
a day ago
- Business
- Global News
Air Canada flight attendants union set to answer binding arbitration ask
The clock is ticking down to a potential strike by Air Canada flight attendants and lockout by the airline as Canada's jobs minister awaits a response from the union on a request for binding arbitration. The Canadian Union of Public Employees' Air Canada component asked to have until noon eastern Friday to respond to the airline's request to the federal government for binding arbitration. In an X post on Thursday, Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu said she had agreed to the union's request, but stressed that 'deals that are made at the bargaining table are the best ones,' while urging both sides to reach an agreement. Both sides are less than 24 hours away from possible job action, with each having called on the other to return to negotiations. Air Canada executives defended their decision Thursday to request binding arbitration, saying they still want to reach a deal, but asked the government to consider intervening if negotiations or 'consensual arbitration' do not occur. Story continues below advertisement The union, however, criticized the airline's move, saying it has called on the federal government to 'interfere with negotiations.' 3:31 Air Canada starts cancelling flights at Vancouver airport ahead of strike With the clock ticking down, the airline has already begun cancelling hundreds of flights. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Air Canada chief operations officer Mark Nasr told reporters on Thursday that by the end of Friday, he expects 500 flights to have been cancelled, with a full grounding as of early Saturday morning. He said the cancellations before a strike or lockout has even begun are because 'sudden or unmanaged work stoppages produce a significantly worse disruption to travel than a planned suspension of flying.' Nasr added that cancelling over several days would allow for an 'orderly restart' when job action ends, 'which under the best circumstance will take a full week to complete.' Story continues below advertisement According to the airline, about 130,000 travellers a day could be impacted during a strike. Those impacted by cancellations have been advised they'll receive a text message and email advising them of their cancellation. They will then be offered a complete refund or the option of potentially being booked on another airline to complete their trip. Air Canada said if a person cannot be rebooked, they will receive a refund.
Global News
06-08-2025
- Business
- Global News
Air Canada flight attendants have voted to strike. What comes next?
More than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants are poised for a potential strike that could occur as soon as this month, following a closely watched union vote result Tuesday evening. The Canadian Union of Public Employees' (CUPE) Air Canada component said over 99 per cent of Air Canada flight attendants voted to strike, adding that the vote result reflects its members' 'deep frustration' after months of stalled negotiations toward a new contract. The vote began July 28 and wrapped up Tuesday afternoon, with 99.7 per cent of members voting in favour of strike action. The union said 94.6 per cent of its members cast a ballot. As a federally regulated business, any negotiations between Air Canada and its employee unions would have to take place under the Canada Labour Code. According to the code, a 21-day cooling-off period began after talks broke down last month. Story continues below advertisement The cooling-off period between CUPE and Air Canada began on July 26, with the strike vote commencing two days later. During this period, the labour minister can appoint a mediator to continue to assist the parties in reaching an agreement. However, a union can choose to strike or an employer can choose to lock employees out if certain conditions are met. A strike vote needs to be taken and both parties need to give 72-hours' notice before either a strike or a lockout. Now with a strike mandate in hand, the union could be in a legal strike position as soon as Aug. 16 at 12:01 a.m., EDT, CUPE said in its statement. A spokesperson for the union told Global News that 'the goal is not to go on strike' and that union negotiators will be back at the table with Air Canada starting on Aug. 15. 5:03 Air Canada flight attendants strike vote What are some sticking points? The union said flight attendants at Air Canada are often expected to perform 'unpaid labour,' adding that there was a gendered element to this system since the majority of flight attendants are women. Story continues below advertisement Air Canada flight attendants are not paid for duties they perform before and after flights, including critical safety checks, boarding and deplaning procedures, assisting passengers with special needs and preparing the cabin, the union said. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'This practice persists because flight attendants' compensation is based on 'block time' (takeoff to landing), not from when the employee begins work. Unlike most workers, flight attendants are not paid when they report for duty, even though they are expected to be in uniform, on-site, and performing job-related duties, including critical safety-related duties mandated by Transport Canada,' the union said in a statement. Air Canada said time spent on onboarding and performing other on-ground tasks is covered under the current collective bargaining agreement, which covers 'Duty Period.' This begins one hour before flight departures and ends 15 minutes after flight arrival. 'If the employee is requested to be on duty outside of these times or to perform service to passengers on the ground, the collective agreement provides for additional compensation,' Air Canada said in a statement. Every month, cabin crew at Air Canada are guaranteed a minimum pay ranging between 65 and 80 credit hours, whether they work these hours or not, Air Canada said. An Air Canada Rouge flight attendant is guaranteed a minimum of 75 to 80 credit hours per month, it added. Story continues below advertisement 0:22 Air Canada strike risk: Flight attendants enter final day of voting CUPE also says its members have been earning 'poverty wages' as cabin crew at Air Canada, arguing their wages have grown 10 per cent since the year 2000 and have not kept up with inflation. 'A full-time worker earning federal minimum wage earns approximately $36,000/year; due to their low hourly rates and the volume of mandatory unpaid work, a full-time entry-level Air Canada flight attendant earns less than minimum wage — just $27,000/year before taxes,' the union said in a statement. The hourly pay is $41.39 for a Rouge flight attendant with five years of service, $63.07 for a mainline flight attendant with 10 years of service, and up to $87.01 for a service director, Air Canada said.
Global News
05-08-2025
- Business
- Global News
Air Canada flight attendants cast their final ballots in strike vote
Air Canada flight attendants are casting their final ballots in a strike vote that could lead to thousands of cancelled flights in the event of a work stoppage. Members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees' Air Canada component called for a strike vote on July 25 after it concluded the conciliation process with no deal. The vote began July 28 and is set to wrap Tuesday. The union represents 10,000 flight attendants who work on board Air Canada's mainline and Rouge aircraft. The union told Global News on Tuesday that the vote ends at 2 p.m. eastern, and it's expected results will be known in the evening. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy According to the union, flight attendants are coming off a 10-year agreement with Air Canada. Story continues below advertisement During that time, the union said its members have lost 'significant purchasing power' and that it is negotiating for higher wages and an 'end to the abuse of unpaid work.' 1:53 Boosting competition among Canadian airlines means more foreign owners: watchdog The union said that before, during and after flights, flight attendants are required to perform 'hours of unpaid mandatory' duties, including safety checks, boarding, deplaning and assisting passengers with special needs. Even if union members give a mandate for a strike, Air Canada has noted that a strike can't take place before a 21-day cooling-off period, which would follow the expiration of the 60-day conciliation period. CUPE started that cooling off period on July 25 when it ended the conciliation process. According to the union, if it receives a strong mandate, it could issue a 72-hour strike notice as early as Aug. 16. Story continues below advertisement According to the airline, it averages more than 500 daily domestic flights, with 430 flights to the U.S. each day and more than 170 trips to international destinations. More to come.
