Air Canada flight attendants will be holding pickets at four major airports across the country on Monday.
Represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the flight attendants will be holding “simultaneous action” in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary as part of an effort to raise awareness about ongoing issues related to their working conditions as well as to “highlight their essential role in ensuring safety on board and the smooth operation of air transport,” CUPE said in a statement.
The protests are set for 10 a.m. PT at Vancouver International Airport, 11 a.m. MDT at Calgary International Airport, and at 1 p.m. at Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport.
The workers want their employer to recognize the key elements of their contract negotiation, notably payment for what non-flight working hours and poverty wages that are no longer consistent with the economic reality of 2025.
“This mobilization aims to remind the public that flight attendants play a crucial role in aircraft safety, in addition to providing quality service and ensuring the smooth operation of flights across the country,” the union said in a Aug. 10 news release.
Wesley Lesosky, president of the Air Canada component of CUPE, said this action comes following an “intense weekend of bargaining, with strong support from our members.”
“The standard simply can’t be maintained, because it’s no longer acceptable,” he said in the release.
CUPE members have voted almost unanimously in favour of a strike
Last Tuesday, CUPE members voted almost unanimously, 99.7 per cent, to authorize a strike action.
If a deal is not reached and workers decide to strike, they could give 72-hours’ notice as early as Aug. 13, meaning a strike could happen as soon as Aug. 16.
The Canadian Press previously reported that the airline is “not yet considering flight cancellations or postponements as it is focused on reaching a deal before then.”
Air Canada is also saying that a strike vote from the union is a “normal step in the negotiation process.”
CUPE hopes that members won’t have to walk off the job, but it wants to see how Air Canada responds to the strike possibility.
If its members do strike, Air Canada would be on the hook for all their passengers’ flights.
Under Canadian law, Air Canada must provide alternate means for passengers to get to their destinations. That could even mean paying for flights on competing airlines.
Gabor Lukacs, president of Air Passenger Rights, told CTV that any potential refunds offered instead of alternate flights are “a trap.” He warned passengers not to rush to accept any potential flight refunds in case a strike does occur.
“If you accept a refund, then Air Canada can wash its hands from your alternate transportation,” he said.
With files from Canadian Press and CTV News Vancouver
Correction
An earlier version of this story reported that demonstrations on Aug. 11 “could mean walking off the job.” The union has voted to authorize a strike mandate but has not yet decided to take action, and would need to give 72 hours’ notice.
