Air Canada’s flight attendants were on the verge of a strike on Saturday, prompting the airline to cancel hundreds of flights and affecting over 100,000 passengers. The potential work stoppage could shut down service entirely.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents Air Canada’s 10,000 flight attendants, was in a legal position to strike as of 12:01 a.m. (0401 GMT) after issuing a 72-hour strike notice on Wednesday. The public broadcaster CBC reported that the labor action could begin around 1 a.m. if a last-minute agreement wasn’t reached.
Air Canada, which typically serves about 130,000 passengers daily, had begun to wind down its operations in anticipation of the strike. By Friday evening, the airline had already cancelled 623 flights, impacting more than 100,000 passengers.
In addition to seeking higher wages, the union is demanding compensation for ground duties, such as those performed during the boarding process. Rafael Gomez, who heads the University of Toronto’s Center for Industrial Relations, told AFP that it’s a “common practice” for flight attendants to be paid based on time spent in the air. However, he noted that the union has been effective in its public relations campaign, creating a perception of unfairness for the average passenger.
“That’s a very good issue to highlight,” Gomez said, explaining that passengers might find it unfair that a flight attendant helping them board is not technically getting paid for that work.
In a statement on Thursday, Air Canada detailed its latest offer, which would see a senior flight attendant earn an average of CAD$87,000 ($65,000) by 2027. CUPE, however, has described the offers as “below inflation [and] below market value.” The union has also rejected proposals from the federal government and Air Canada to resolve the dispute through independent arbitration.
Gomez believes that even if a strike occurs, it won’t last long. “This is peak season,” he said. “The airline does not want to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue… They’re almost playing chicken with the flight attendants.”
