Air Canada Flight Attendants Issue 72-Hour Strike Notice
Air Canada’s flight attendants, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), have issued a 72-hour strike notice, with a potential strike set to start at 1 am ET on Saturday, August 16.
Following eight months of bargaining, negotiations between Air Canada and CUPE have stalled. The union voted 99.7 percent in favor of strike action.
Air Canada’s latest offer proposed a 38 percent total compensation increase over four years, including a 25 percent raise in the first year, alongside better benefits, crew rest time, and partial compensation for unpaid ground duties.
CUPE rejected the offer, stating it still falls short of inflation adjustments, market pay standards, and fair compensation for ground and boarding duties.
Air Canada proposed binding arbitration to settle the dispute, but CUPE turned it down, arguing arbitration undermines members' bargaining rights.
The flight disruptions can begin on August 14, escalating to a near-total operational shutdown of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge by August 16.
Roughly 130,000 passengers daily face disruption.
This is not the first strike to occur this summer: On July 3, French air traffic controllers’ went on strike due to understaffing, outdated technology, salary erosion, and an oppressive management culture.
