Flight Attendant strike vote opens on July 28th

[TalkingPie]

Moving on to the latest bargaining update. From the looks of it, Air Canada always fully intended to strand its operating cabin crew without collective agreement protections should the strike take effect tonight, and are quite offended that CUPE did their best to warn them about it. Just about all return flights have been cancelled, so there are reportedly numerous crews in hotels abroad as of now. In some cases the cabin crew reported that the company had booked return flights with other carriers for the pilots, but not for the cabin crew.

The remarks made by CUPE president Mark Hancock to which the grievance is referring can be found here (starting around the 17:00 mark): https://youtu.be/eyhc1515bYI?t=1012

Bargaining Committee Update - 32

Dear Members,

Your Bargaining Committee is continuing to work through new developments and keep you advised. The latest development is the fact that Air Canada has filed two grievances against the Air Canada Component of CUPE.

Click here for the Mainline grievance [copied below]

Click here for the Rouge grievance

They have also tried to intimidate and muzzle your Component President and Union by sending a cease-and-desist letter, which can be viewed HERE [copied below].

An emergency hearing was convened with Chief Arbitrator William Kaplan at Air Canada’s request. It was seeking an order from the Chief Arbitrator on an expedited basis.

The Chief Arbitrator heard submissions from both parties. During these submissions Air Canada confirmed that members who were away from home base and working home once the strike commenced would NOT be paid for their inbound flight or duty periods after the strike commenced. Nor would they have any Collective Agreement protections.

The hearing was adjourned. Air Canada did not receive the order sought.

Please remember to educate yourself about what your rights are and govern yourself accordingly. You had the right to know this previously and reached out to your managers for reassurance and guidance. Their lack of replies left you in a difficult situation with not enough information. The Company was not willing to provide clarity on all your rights and entitlements however we do believe that it was their intention all along not to pay you to bring their passengers home once the strike commenced.

Remember, your UNION is here for you. EAP is also available.

We continue to wait on word from the Minister of Jobs on the response to our submissions on Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code. As soon as we have an update to share with you, we will.

In solidarity,

Your Bargaining Committee

Re: Cease and Desist Unlawful Strike Activity
At a press conference that was organized by the Air Canada Component of CUPE yesterday, CUPE National President Mark Hancock made comments that amounted to encouraging Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flight attendants to engage in illegal strike activity.
In addition, in a bulletin issued by the Air Canada Component yesterday (Update 30) flight attendants who may be away from home base when the strike commences were advised to “Govern yourself accordingly” thereby implicitly suggesting that flight attendants should avoid operating flights away from home base.
Furthermore, in response to questions asking if crew members should book off in the comments section on Update 30 on CUPE ACC’s social media, flight attendants were also advised to “govern yourselves”. These illegal activities are therefore being encouraged by your membership, for which you are responsible.
We have observed a material increase in the number of book offs since these comments were made and the bulletin issued. As of 11:10 A.M. EST this morning, 599 flight attendants have booked off work between August 14-15, 2025.
The comments of Mr. Hancock constitute encouragement of illegal strike activity. This is a violation of the Canada Labour Code as well as the collective agreement. The systemic and improper booking-off of members of CUPE also constitutes an illegal strike pursuant to Sections 88.1 and 89 of the Canada Labour Code. You are therefore immediately requested to use all means necessary to ensure that illegal strike activity does not occur, including reminding your members of their legal obligations to work, failing which, we may seek interim relief pursuant to LOU 44 of the collective agreement and/or file an application under section 91 of the Canada Labour Code with the Canada Industrial Relations Board.

Re: URGENT MATTER - GRIEVANCE OF AIR CANADA AGAINST CUPE & REQUEST
FOR IMMEDIATE HEARING
Dear Mr. Kaplan,
Air Canada is filing this grievance pursuant to articles 13 and 15 and Letter of
Understanding No. 44 of the collective agreement between Air Canada and the Air
Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), as well as
paragraph 15 of the October 2015 Memorandum of Agreement. As a result, Air Canada
is making an urgent request for a hearing seeking interim relief as soon as is possible.
It has come to the attention of the company that CUPE and/or the employees that it
represents have violated the Canada Labour Code, by conducting, participating and/or
condoning an unlawful strike on August 14-15, 2025. The unlawful actions consisted of:
- Comments being made at a CUPE organized press conference encouraging Air
Canada flight attendants to engage in illegal strike activity;
- A CUPE bulletin that suggested that flight attendants should avoid operating
flights away from home base; and
- Comments being made on CUPE ACC social media encouraging flight attendants
to improperly book off.
Air Canada put CUPE on notice of this illegal activity this morning on August 15, 2025.
As a result of CUPE’s actions, Air Canada has experienced a material increase in the
number of book offs since these comments were made and the bulletin issued. As of
11:10 A.M. EST on August 15, 2025, 599 flight attendants have booked off work
between August 14-15, 2025.
Air Canada seeks the following relief:
1. a declaration that CUPE and CUPE-represented employees are participating,
are likely to continue to participate and have threatened to participate in
unlawful strike activity in contravention of the Canada Labour Code;
2. a declaration that the CUPE has declared and/or authorized an unlawful strike
within the meaning of the Canada Labour Code;
3. an order that the CUPE and CUPE-represented employees comply with the
terms of the Canada Labour Code and immediately cease and desist from the
unlawful strike;
4. to direct CUPE to revoke any declaration and/or authorization to unlawfully
strike and to forthwith give notice to all bargaining unit employees of such
revocation, notably by requiring CUPE and its officers, employees and agents,
to cease further communications encouraging employees to refuse to work;
5. a declaration that the Chief Arbitrator’s order be posted in the workplace and
on the CUPE website and all social media sites, including Facebook,
Instagram, X;
6. to require all members of CUPE employed by Air Canada to report for work as
scheduled and to perform their normal duties.
7. to require CUPE to give notice to its members that strike action is unlawful
until such time as the requirements of the Canada Labour Code have been
satisfied;
8. a declaration that failure to respect the Chief Arbitrator’s order will result in
discipline up to and including discharge;
9. an award of damages;
10. an imposition of a financial penalty on the CUPE; and
11. further and other relief as Air Canada may request or the Chief Arbitrator may
decide is appropriate.

[Man_in_the_sky]

What a weird time and place for people in a profession that requires no degree and tops out at >$300k to tell their colleagues in a profession that requires no degree that they don't deserve $100k.

Nobody said anything about a degree, no prerequisites or same qualifications as a Starbucks or Tim Hortons employee was mentioned, which is 100% true. They certainly should make a living wage but under no situation should they be making more than the pilot up front, top FA wage should be less than bottom FO PERIOD!
And if you really want to know how the FAs feel about pilots, go listen to the FA press conference, shortly before the CUPE president does his speech, a question was asked about if the company treats FAs and Pilots differently, second class and lower pass travel priority was mentioned amongst other things!

You made it hard at Jazz to be paid less than a year 1 FO when you passed the B scale

[YYT_Dill]

Time will tell GIVCE! but the T4 is the only real measure. To think they are going to get their current hourly wage (or the expected increased rate) from Check-in to Check-out is not going to happen.

Talk to your neighbors if they think 100K / year is a pretty good salary, it puts you in the top 20% of income earners nationwide.

Oh.....for a job that has the same requirements as working at Tim Hortons or Starbucks.

I have a question. Why do some pilots suck so much? Certainly a minority but nevertheless, there is a portion of this industry that are arrogant, condescending, and egomaniacal.

I have never seen or been part of an industry before that turns on its own like the pilot group does. In a previous life, when I worked for an engineering firm, the project managers worked extremely hard, in solidarity, to ensure the administrative professionals supporting them were paid adequately for their job. Pilots? No, we are just concerned with keeping everyone else down to ensure they know how important we are. Where were other pilots during AC negotiations? Throwing their own under the bus so a junior 777 FO could have the privilege of flying for $78K which is less than Porter, WestJet, hell even AirSprint.

Stu, I'm hopeful you are posting ragebait for the interactions but it's more likely your are a sad, lonely, thrice divorced loser and your FA ex-wife stuck it to you. Pilots are professionals, Flight Attendants are professionals, AME's are professionals and Gate Agents are professionals. We should be fighting that they get the best deal possible, in solidarity. I haven't seen a single article that FA's want pilot level salaries. They want fair compensation and why wouldn't they? They have a union and this is the entire point of a collective bargaining unit.

I also hate to break it to you sweetheart but being a pilot isn't the flex you think it is when crapping on flight attendant qualifications. Any idiot with enough money can be a pilot in 6-12 months.

[altiplano]

Yes. No. Yes. No.

There's no comparison.
We aren't all the same.
There are heirarchies in this world.
There are licensed professionals.
There are labourers.

It's not ego, it's fact.

I wish them the best, but I also know that there is a pie. I believe the professional slice ought be the largest.

If you think of the street labour should get an equal slice, well that's your defect, maybe you're a commie. I think it should be competitive with other unskilled jobs.

[fish4life]

Time will tell GIVCE! but the T4 is the only real measure. To think they are going to get their current hourly wage (or the expected increased rate) from Check-in to Check-out is not going to happen.

Talk to your neighbors if they think 100K / year is a pretty good salary, it puts you in the top 20% of income earners nationwide.

Oh.....for a job that has the same requirements as working at Tim Hortons or Starbucks.

I have a question. Why do some pilots suck so much? Certainly a minority but nevertheless, there is a portion of this industry that are arrogant, condescending, and egomaniacal.

I have never seen or been part of an industry before that turns on its own like the pilot group does. In a previous life, when I worked for an engineering firm, the project managers worked extremely hard, in solidarity, to ensure the administrative professionals supporting them were paid adequately for their job. Pilots? No, we are just concerned with keeping everyone else down to ensure they know how important we are. Where were other pilots during AC negotiations? Throwing their own under the bus so a junior 777 FO could have the privilege of flying for $78K which is less than Porter, WestJet, hell even AirSprint.

Stu, I'm hopeful you are posting ragebait for the interactions but it's more likely your are a sad, lonely, thrice divorced loser and your FA ex-wife stuck it to you. Pilots are professionals, Flight Attendants are professionals, AME's are professionals and Gate Agents are professionals. We should be fighting that they get the best deal possible, in solidarity. I haven't seen a single article that FA's want pilot level salaries. They want fair compensation and why wouldn't they? They have a union and this is the entire point of a collective bargaining unit.

I also hate to break it to you sweetheart but being a pilot isn't the flex you think it is when crapping on flight attendant qualifications. Any idiot with enough money can be a pilot in 6-12 months.

A) go to bed you aren’t doing yourself any favours

B) lots of pilots from other airlines have supported each other during labour negotiations actually. In fact a lot of pilots have supported our FA’s as well but coming on with a rant like this doesn’t help your cause.

[thepoors]

In typical fashion both the Employer and CUPE are busy telling half-truths.

The "unpaid work" banner has certainly resonated with the public, but the truth is a different story. FA hourly pay is calculated to compensate for the so-called unpaid work, top pay is currently $85 / hour which takes many AC FA's to over 100K / year. Which is more than Teachers and a large segment of nurses, for a job that has zero prerequisites.

Starting pay is definitely low but most Pilots first job pays even less and no one gives you a nice uniform with the ability to enjoy Happy Hour in Yale Town.

Being a FA is not a $85 / hour straight time job. What other job can you roll into out of High School, work your way to a six figure salary with a pension and a generous benefit package.

AC Pilots are paid the exact same way, break release to break set, which is largely industry standard.

I am all for an inflationary raise but the the AC FA's expectations are unrealistic.

Your pig-headed ignorance is brilliantly highlighted by the fact that you don't even know the difference between "break" and "brake" - are you AC management? These are the type of single digit IQ statements that fit right in at head office.

[thepoors]

Yes. No. Yes. No.

There's no comparison.
We aren't all the same.
There are heirarchies in this world.
There are licensed professionals.
There are labourers.

It's not ego, it's fact.

I wish them the best, but I also know that there is a pie. I believe the professional slice ought be the largest.

If you think of the street labour should get an equal slice, well that's your defect, maybe you're a commie. I think it should be competitive with other unskilled jobs.

You do realize that if the "labourers" are able to achieve bigger gains now, then the "professionals" will get even more down the line?...(if we don't fold like fools again.) This benefits everyone and they are setting an amazing example of standing up to the company. Short sighted idiots like you are the reason we aren't taken seriously. Stop aiming down, coward.

[Dias]

It's nice to see a union with some "balls". Go get what you're owed CUPE!

[GIVCE!]

1000000%! The Flight Attendants are finally standing up against management and the past ‘status quo’ bullshit of this industry and getting what they deserve. I support this entirely. It will only lift the pilots when they next go into bargain shortly. At all airlines. We all deserve more. This is just the tip of the iceberg and could set the bar globally. It’s time for us all to take a stand against the disparity. Wesley is killing it at the news conference just now. Well spoken, organized logical discussion to raise the bar. Something unfAir Canada is obviously incapable of. Prove me wrong Mr. Rousseau.

[GIVCE!]

One more thing…AVCANADA mods. Your website ads of Monika Lewinsky and Karoline Levitt with links to photos of them in their bikinis are disgustingly demeaning to women and are part of the argument of the disparity of pay between men and women. Perverts and pedos have too long abused human beings in this way and this perverse practice should not be promoted on this site. I am actually appalled of their presence on this website. Please remove them or ban the advertisement from being displayed. The optics are horrible for this industry and our PROFESSION. Be professional and do the right thing.
Thank you.
G

[TalkingPie]

Keeping focus on the important matter at hand, the union isn't pulling any punches in its communications. From what I'm seeing from the membership, the bargaining committee, and CUPE National, if the company doesn't start taking bargaining in good faith seriously, things might get messy over the next few days. I'm not sure that Section 107 would save them at this point.

Open Letter

August 16, 2025
Ms. Arielle Meloul-Weschler
Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources
Officer and Public Affairs
Air Canada
P.O. Box #14000, Station Airport
Dorval, QC
H4Y 1Y4

Dear Ms. Meloul-Weschler,

We, the members of the Bargaining Committee, are compelled to respond publicly to your recent message to employees and customers regarding the current labour dispute and operational disruptions. Your statement not only misrepresents the history of these negotiations, but it also omits critical facts that the public and our members deserve to know.

Let us be clear: this situation was avoidable.

From day one of negotiations, December 11, 2024, the Union tabled a wind-down/ramp-up agreement designed to protect passengers, ensure operational stability, and safeguard crew members in the event of a strike or lockout. This plan would have guaranteed that, should job action occur, there would be a coordinated process to return passengers and crews safely and efficiently.

The same proposal was reintroduced multiple times throughout bargaining, including in recent weeks to avoid exactly the kind of mass cancellations, chaos, and passenger hardship now unfolding. Each time Air Canada refused.

Instead, Air Canada later presented their own version of a “wind down” that stripped away the protections of our collective agreement. Within the last few hours, we learned that the employer’s plan explicitly denies pay for crew members during a strike or lockout. This plan was not a serious attempt to resolve this issue; it was an ultimatum. Further, it is the very reason our passengers have been impacted: the lack of pay. Now, for our members who are coming to work, will you deny them entitlement to pay? Will the passengers receive refunds?

We trust YOU will be paid.

You now claim in your letter:

“We have never left the table and have been available to bargain substantively at any time.”

That is a bold-faced lie.

The Union has been and remains ready to negotiate for as long as it takes. The truth is: we have not heard a word from Air Canada since August 12, 2025, regarding bargaining. That was three days ago, a critical period after we served our 72-hour strike notice, when both parties should
have been working around the clock to reach a deal.

Actions speak louder than press releases. You state you are willing to bargain, yet you have been missing in action at the very moment meaningful dialogue is most needed.

Based on conduct, it appears this has been the Air Canada strategy all along:

1. Delay the process,
2. Manufacture an impasse,
3. Walk away from the table,
4. Create widespread disruption for passengers,
5. Then attempt to leverage that disruption to pressure the Minister of Labour to invoke Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code and impose binding arbitration, stripping away our members’ Charter-protected right to strike.

Let us remind you: the right to bargain collectively, and when necessary, to strike, is not a “talking point.” It is a fundamental right in Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Our members will not allow these rights to be undermined, nor will we allow Air Canada’s public relations spin doctors to mask the truth.

The Union’s position remains unchanged: we are prepared to return to the table at a moment’s notice to negotiate a fair and respectful collective agreement. But we will not do so under the threat of having our rights legislated away, nor will we accept a deal designed to punish workers and destabilize operations.

If Air Canada truly cares about passengers, employees, and operational integrity, the solution is simple: return to the bargaining table now and negotiate in good faith.

Wesley Lesosky
Component President
Theresa Mitchell
Component Vice-President
Guillaume Leduc
Component Secretary-Treasurer
Natasha Stea
Local 4091 President
Denis Montpetit
Local 4092 President
Carolyn Bugnon
Local 4094 President
Tyler McBain
Local 4095 President
Amy Murray
Local 4098 President

[flieslikeachicken]

One more thing…AVCANADA mods. Your website ads of Monika Lewinsky and Karoline Levitt with links to photos of them in their bikinis are disgustingly demeaning to women and are part of the argument of the disparity of pay between men and women. Perverts and pedos have too long abused human beings in this way and this perverse practice should not be promoted on this site. I am actually appalled of their presence on this website. Please remove them or ban the advertisement from being displayed. The optics are horrible for this industry and our PROFESSION. Be professional and do the right thing.
Thank you.
G

Wait, there are people who use this site without an ad blocker?

That said, I'm pretty sure the ads are targeted based on previous searches.

[Me262]

One more thing…AVCANADA mods. Your website ads of Monika Lewinsky and Karoline Levitt with links to photos of them in their bikinis are disgustingly demeaning to women and are part of the argument of the disparity of pay between men and women. Perverts and pedos have too long abused human beings in this way and this perverse practice should not be promoted on this site. I am actually appalled of their presence on this website. Please remove them or ban the advertisement from being displayed. The optics are horrible for this industry and our PROFESSION. Be professional and do the right thing.
Thank you.
G

Are you on drugs? Also you should stop searching for women in bikinis to stop receiving these kind of ads.

[jpilot77]

Article 107 invoked

[GIVCE!]

Well that didn’t take long. Good luck Air Canada.

[Me262]

Communism at its best

[flying4dollars]

Bad news TalkingPie, being a FA is not a profession.

That's just ignorant and arrogant. Especially for an airline like AC which prides itself on its first class service and offerings. And 100k isn’t what it used to be, especially when living in YVR or YYZ. And the bottom end isnt anywhere near that.

But I also agree, no FO should be paid less than any FA.

Right, but that doesn't mean the FAs aren't entitled to exactly what they bargain for, even if its higher than an FO. That's simply a testament to their bargaining power and ours, or in our case, lack thereof. So if they can secure that kind of wage, I say good for them. Shame on us for allowing our FO's to make less than any FA.

[daedalusx]

Imagine thinking you still have rights in this country in 2025.

[I WAS Pez]

Bad news TalkingPie, being a FA is not a profession.

That's just ignorant and arrogant. Especially for an airline like AC which prides itself on its first class service and offerings. And 100k isn’t what it used to be, especially when living in YVR or YYZ. And the bottom end isnt anywhere near that.

But I also agree, no FO should be paid less than any FA.

Right, but that doesn't mean the FAs aren't entitled to exactly what they bargain for, even if its higher than an FO. That's simply a testament to their bargaining power and ours, or in our case, lack thereof. So if they can secure that kind of wage, I say good for them. Shame on us for allowing our FO's to make less than any FA.

Agreed on all. And one thing that's stuck with me for years when dealing with salary negotiations, etc (not in a union environment, but the maxim still applies) is this: "You don't get what you deserve - you get what you negotiate."

[pelmet]

One more thing…AVCANADA mods. Your website ads of Monika Lewinsky and Karoline Levitt with links to photos of them in their bikinis are disgustingly demeaning to women and are part of the argument of the disparity of pay between men and women. Perverts and pedos have too long abused human beings in this way and this perverse practice should not be promoted on this site. I am actually appalled of their presence on this website. Please remove them or ban the advertisement from being displayed. The optics are horrible for this industry and our PROFESSION. Be professional and do the right thing.
Thank you.
G

Are you on drugs? Also you should stop searching for women in bikinis to stop receiving these kind of ads.

True. When I saw him going on about Monica Lewinsky, I'm wondering what the heck he is talking about.

[Launchpad1]

Well for a second there I thought the government wasn't going to stamp on the Flight Attendants. What a disgrace.

[sullecpt]

https://www.facebook.com/accomponent/

CUPE says strike is still on

[Launchpad1]

CUPE says strike is still on

At the moment it's just a request by the 'Minister of crushing workers rights' for the CIRB to rule on it.

It could take them between 12 and 48 hours to do so.

Until then the union still has a mandate.

[TalkingPie]

The thing about paying employees minimum wage and taking all hope away from them that they'll be valued or that things will get better is that eventually they'll feel like they don't have much left to lose.

People are mad and this thing isn't over.

[TalkingPie]

There are some reports from cabin crew that Crew Sched is calling them to operate flights tonight.

Bargaining Committee Update - 36

Dear members,

For right now, you are on strike, until your Union communicates otherwise.

The only exception to this is if you are operating back to Home Base. That is the only time you need to deal with the company.

Globe is not something to be checking at this time, you are not required to answer your phone, and again, you are on Legal Strike at this time. Do not worry if you are being assigned a flight from home base, there is no operation at this time. Do not answer your phone until the strike concludes and a contract is either extended or in place.

We remind you that there is no collective agreement in place and there is no obligation for you to report to work or communicate with Air Canada.

In solidarity,

Your Bargaining Committee