Contract negotiations between Air Canada and the union representing its 10,000 flight attendants continue this week, as both parties work toward a new deal following the March 31 expiration of the previous collective agreement.
The Air Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents flight attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, has confirmed that while members are currently without a contract, a strike or job action is not being considered at this time.
“Any discussion about strike votes and job action is premature at this point,” a CUPE spokesperson stated. “Bargaining has proceeded well since December and there are regular dates set into June.”
In recent days, the union held “bargaining and mobilization” sessions at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, as well as in Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary, to update members on the status of negotiations and gather input. Air Canada, based in Montreal, operates more flights out of Pearson than any other airport in its network.
Union President Wesley Lesosky says two central issues — wage increases and unpaid work — remain at the heart of the ongoing talks. In a February episode of the union’s Flight Plan podcast, Lesosky described the current state of affairs:
“As workers, we’re at a breaking point. Our members are no longer interested in working for free.”
Flight attendants are largely only compensated while the aircraft is in motion, meaning time spent boarding, deplaning, or conducting safety checks — all essential duties — goes unpaid. The union argues this practice is no longer sustainable or acceptable in today’s work environment.
“Everyone has frustrations with flying,” Lesosky said, “but for flight attendants, working hundreds of unpaid hours shoots to the top of the list.”
Flight attendants have worked under the same contract structure for over a decade, receiving modest annual 2% wage increases, which CUPE says have not kept pace with inflation or the increased demands of the job.
In addition to wages and unpaid work, working conditions and scheduling flexibility are also key points of negotiation, according to the union.
While no immediate disruption is expected, the union has emphasized that its members deserve “the respect and proper pay” they’ve earned through years of dedicated service, especially during the pandemic and post-pandemic recovery periods that saw air travel and staffing pressures reach critical levels.
Travellers across Canada, particularly those flying through Toronto Pearson, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary, would be significantly impacted should negotiations fail and a work stoppage occur later this year.
Bargaining talks are scheduled to continue into June 2025.