by Natasha Lair
Last updated: 8:15 PM ET, Tue August 5, 2025
More than 10,000 Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flight attendants have voted almost unanimously in favour of strike action, raising the possibility of widespread disruptions later this month if contract negotiations continue to stall.
The Air Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) announced Tuesday that 99.7% of members supported strike action after months of failed talks over a new contract.
The union cited ongoing disputes over wages, work rules, and unpaid labour as core issues.
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“The company would rather drag their feet than negotiate on the things that matter to our members,” said Wesley Lesosky, president of the Air Canada Component of CUPE, in a news release. “Now, flight attendants have had a chance to weigh in and tell the company it’s time to get serious about negotiating.”
The union can issue a 72-hour strike notice as early as August 16, though a strike vote does not guarantee that job action will take place.
Talks have been at an impasse since CUPE filed for conciliation with the federal labour minister in May, a move often taken when negotiations break down.
In a statement, Air Canada acknowledged the vote result, calling it a “normal step in the negotiation process.”
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The airline emphasized that it remains committed to reaching a deal.
“Air Canada remains committed to the bargaining process and is eager to resume discussions, which CUPE had suspended during the vote,” the airline said.
“There is more than enough time to reach such an agreement and avoid disrupting the plans of hundreds of thousands of travellers.”
The airline’s previous 10-year agreement with its flight attendants expired in March.
Pay Disputes and Unpaid Labour at the Heart of Dispute
CUPE has not released detailed demands but argues that compensation has not kept pace with inflation. The union claims entry-level flight attendants make only $3 more per hour than they did 25 years ago, despite inflation rising by 169% over that period.
Another key issue is the longstanding industry practice of only paying flight attendants for time between takeoff and landing. This means hours spent performing safety checks, boarding passengers, and assisting with deplaning remain unpaid—something CUPE says is unacceptable.
“While the airline continues to slap junk fees on flyers and gouge the public, they’re also exploiting their own employees by severely underpaying flight attendants or refusing to pay them at all for safety-critical aspects of our jobs,” said Lesosky.
CUPE argues that Air Canada’s financial success means it can afford to meet worker demands without passing the cost on to consumers.
When CUPE filed for conciliation earlier this year, Air Canada defended its compensation model, saying it aligns with practices at most international carriers.
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