Greater than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants are poised for a potential strike later this month after members voted in favour of strike motion, in response to the union representing the flight attendants.
The Air Canada Element of CUPE stated in a information launch Tuesday that after months of negotiation on a brand new contract, no settlement has been reached on key points reminiscent of wages, work guidelines and unpaid hours.
Members voted 99.7 per cent in favour of strike motion if vital, in response to the union, which represents flight attendants at Air Canada and its leisure service, Air Canada Rouge.
“The corporate would somewhat drag their ft than negotiate on the issues that matter to our members,” stated division president Wesley Lesosky in a information launch. “Now, flight attendants have had an opportunity to weigh in and inform the corporate it is time to get severe about negotiating.”
A strike vote signifies that members are ready to go on strike, however would not essentially imply a strike will happen. The union acknowledged that it might subject a 72-hour strike discover as early as Aug. 16 if an settlement is not reached.
Air Canada acknowledged the results of the strike vote in a press release, and stated that this can be a “regular step within the negotiation course of.”
“Air Canada stays dedicated to the bargaining course of and is keen to renew discussions, which CUPE had suspended in the course of the vote,” the assertion learn. The corporate stated it “firmly believes that there’s greater than sufficient time to succeed in such an settlement and keep away from disrupting the plans of a whole lot of 1000’s of travellers.”
The union has been negotiating with Air Canada over a brand new contract for flight attendants after the earlier 10-year contract expired in March.
The strike vote comes after the union filed for conciliation with the federal labour minister in Could attributable to an deadlock in negotiations.
Wages, unpaid work are issues
CUPE didn’t define specifics about what the union is seeking to obtain within the new contract, however stated that wages haven’t stored up with inflation.
Based on the union, entry-level Air Canada flight attendants solely earn $3 extra per hour now than they did 25 years in the past, regardless of a 169 per cent enhance in inflation in that point.
Flight attendants are additionally solely paid for the hours between takeoff and touchdown, somewhat than once they arrive for work. CUPE argues that this does not consider the work they carry out throughout security checks, boarding and deplaning, and once they put together the aircraft for passengers and help passengers previous to or after flights.
“Whereas the airline continues to slap junk charges on flyers and gouge the general public, they’re additionally exploiting their very own staff by severely underpaying flight attendants or refusing to pay them in any respect for safety-critical points of our jobs,” Lesosky stated.
“Air Canada has raked billions in earnings previously few years. They will afford to pay us pretty with out elevating prices for the general public.”
The airline reported working revenues of greater than $22 billion in 2024, a two per cent enhance in comparison with the earlier 12 months.
A spokesperson for Air Canada declined to touch upon specifics surrounding compensation negotiations in Could when the union filed for conciliation. On the time, the airline stated that the mannequin it presently has in place is in keeping with most world carriers.
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