More than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants could walk off the job later this month after voting overwhelmingly in favor of a strike mandate, escalating a tense labor dispute with Canada’s largest airline.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents flight attendants at Air Canada and its leisure service Air Canada Rouge, announced Tuesday that 99.7% of members supported strike action if contract talks fail. While the vote doesn’t guarantee a strike, it gives the union the power to issue a 72-hour strike notice as early as August 16.
The move comes after months of negotiations over a new contract failed to resolve disputes over wages, work rules, and unpaid hours. The current contract expired in March after a decade in place.
Union Says Pay Hasn’t Kept Up With Inflation
CUPE officials argue that Air Canada flight attendants are underpaid compared to the airline’s soaring profits. The union points to starting wages that have risen only modestly over the past decade — from $25.13 an hour in 2015 to $30.02 today — despite high inflation and record corporate earnings.
Flight attendants also say they perform hours of unpaid work during critical parts of their shifts, including pre-flight safety checks, boarding, deplaning, and cabin preparations.
“While the airline continues to charge passengers extra fees, they’re also exploiting their own employees by refusing to fairly compensate us for essential work,” said Wesley Lesosky, CUPE’s Air Canada division president. “It’s time to get serious about negotiating.”
Air Canada Responds
Air Canada acknowledged the strike vote but described it as a “normal step” in labor negotiations. In a statement, the airline said it is committed to bargaining and believes there is still ample time to reach a deal before any job action impacts passengers.
“Air Canada remains eager to resume discussions,” the statement read. “We believe there is more than enough time to avoid disrupting the plans of hundreds of thousands of travelers.”
Why It Matters for Travelers
If a strike does happen, it could create major disruptions for passengers in Canada, the U.S., and international destinations served by Air Canada. The airline carried over 40 million passengers last year, and any large-scale work stoppage could ground flights, cause widespread delays, and leave travelers scrambling for alternatives.
This dispute comes amid a broader wave of labor unrest in the airline industry. Flight attendants in both Canada and the U.S. are pushing for higher wages and pay for all hours worked, not just time spent in the air.
The union could issue its strike notice as early as mid-August. If that happens, Air Canada will have only a few days to reach a deal or face the possibility of grounded flights. The Canadian federal labor minister could intervene, but there’s no guarantee of a quick resolution.
For now, travelers with upcoming Air Canada flights in late August or September are being advised to monitor the situation closely and consider flexible booking options in case of disruptions.
