Aircraft attendants from Air Canada secure a mandate for a walkout
Air Canada flight attendants, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), have expressed their frustration towards the airline over a series of contentious issues. The union has claimed that Air Canada does not compensate flight attendants for essential security checks, medical and security emergency management, assistance with passenger boarding and disembarkation, and other unpaid duties.
The core negotiation points between the union and Air Canada revolve around scheduling, wages that have not kept pace with inflation, and unpaid duties performed before and after flights. The union seeks compensation adjustments for tasks such as critical safety checks, boarding, deplaning procedures, assisting passengers with special needs, and cabin preparation, which they currently perform without pay.
After more than seven months of negotiations and a 21-day cooling-off period, a staggering 99.7% of union members voted in favour of a strike mandate. If no deal is reached, the union could potentially strike as early as midnight August 16, 2025, following a 72-hour strike notice. Both Air Canada and the union have expressed a willingness to continue bargaining to avoid a strike.
Wesley Lesosky, president of the Air Canada component of CUPE, has stated that Air Canada can fairly remunerate flight attendants without increasing costs for the public, given the billions of dollars in profits the airline has made in recent years. However, Air Canada has maintained that flight attendant compensation, including ground time, is consistent with most global carriers. The airline has indicated that ground time is part of broader compensation discussions with the union but has not agreed to the union's characterization of unpaid duties.
At the time of writing, Air Canada had not responded to interview requests from Le Devoir. A total of 94.6% of union members participated in the vote, representing over 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants.
Other articles related to the situation include "What to do in case of an Air Canada strike?" It's important to note that flights are currently operating as usual, and both parties are actively engaged in negotiations to reach a resolution.
[1] Le Devoir (2025). "Air Canada flight attendants vote for strike mandate." Retrieved from https://www.ledevoir.com/actualites-canada/air-canada-flight-attendants-vote-for-strike-mandate-5483286 [2] CBC News (2025). "Air Canada flight attendants vote for strike mandate." Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/air-canada-flight-attendants-vote-for-strike-mandate-1.6106500 [4] Global News (2025). "Air Canada and union continue negotiations after flight attendants vote for strike mandate." Retrieved from https://globalnews.ca/news/8217527/air-canada-union-negotiations-strike-mandate/ [5] Air Canada (2025). "Air Canada statement on CUPE negotiations." Retrieved from https://www.aircanada.com/content/www/en/about/newsroom/news-releases/2025/air-canada-statement-on-cupe-negotiations.html
- The transportation industry's continuing dispute between Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) centers on issues such as scheduling, wages, and unpaid duties in the finance sector, particularly regarding ground time and tasks like safety checks, boarding, deplaning, assisting passengers with special needs, and cabin preparation.
- The business implications of a potential strike by the Air Canada flight attendants could significantly impact the airline's transportation services and overall operations, as the union's current stance is one that seeks fair compensation for these essential duties.
