Air Canada's flight attendants' union has failed to reach an agreement on its contract with its employer, and its members will vote on a possible strike.
The Air Canada Component of CUPE represents 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge. Its members are now in a legal position to strike following the expiration of their collective agreement with the airline on March 31, 2025.
A union spokesperson told V.I.A. in a previous interview that the union members hoped to avoid taking job action and agree on a "strong new contract." However, the conciliation process with the federally appointed ministers ended without a tentative agreement reached.
Union representatives are now asking members to vote in favour of a strike, and holding membership information sessions via Zoom to explain why a "Yes" vote is "essential," according to a Friday, July 25, bargaining committee update.
Here's what travellers booked on future Air Canada flights, or those looking to book, should know right now.
When will the strike vote take place?
The union strike vote will begin at 2 p.m. (EDT) on Monday, July 28, and end at 2 p.m. (EDT) on Tuesday, Aug. 5.
What happens if the union decides to strike?
The union may only issue a 72-hour strike notice after the 21-day cooling period ends, despite members voting now. This means the earliest time it could do that would be Aug. 26 at 12:01 (EDT).
Now that the conciliation period is over, there is a 21-day cooling-off period when negotiations can continue.
Air Canada said in a statement Friday that it remains "committed to the bargaining process" and to negotiating "towards a fair and equitable collective agreement" with the union.
The airline added that the declaration of a strike notice is "normal" and doesn't mean travel disruptions will occur.
Why is the union considering a strike?
The flight attendants' union has been bargaining with Air Canada over several key issues for several months, focusing mainly on fair payment and working conditions.
Under their current contract, entry-level Air Canada flight attendants working full-time only earn $1,951.30 monthly, which it says "is impossible to live on," according to the union.
An update from the union's bargaining committee states that several key issues remain unresolved, including "pay, unpaid work, per diems (daily travel expenditures related to work), pensions, work rules, and prone rest."
Are travellers entitled to compensation for flights cancelled due to a strike?
Under Canada's Airline Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), customers are not eligible for compensation for delayed or cancelled flights, meals, hotels or other incidental expenses during labour disruptions.
Past updates and further reading
The union has been locked into a 10-year deal with the airline, meaning members haven't seen wage increases commensurate with changes to their workload.
Air Canada Component of CUPE President Wesley Lesosky told V.I.A. that some of a flight attendant's most important and complex duties are performed in uniform, for free. Pre-flight activities, including identifying aircraft needs (such as de-icing or propeller abnormalities), safety checks (checking extinguishers, smoke hoods, and more), and ensuring that services are ready for passengers, including the lavatories and catering equipment, are completed without pay.
CUPE's airline division, which represents approximately 18,500 flight attendants across Canada, launched a campaign highlighting these issues facing flight attendants in Canada. The "Unpaid Work Won't Fly" campaign states that employees work roughly 35 hours for free monthly.
How Air Canada handled flight changes under similar circumstances
The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) Canada, the union representing Air Canada's pilots, were in a position to legally issue a 72-hour strike notice last September.
While the airline reached an agreement ahead of the job action, numerous passengers switched their flights ahead of the possible travel disruption.
At the time, Air Canada offered flexible change policies to travellers with flights that could be affected by the strike. Travellers were also eligible for a full refund for cancelled flights, and the airline worked with other airlines to secure space for customers affected by flight cancellations.
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