Flight Attendant strike vote opens on July 28th

[Dry Guy]

There's a huge banner at the top of website telling you about the strike notice.

[TalkingPie]

If anyone wonders why cabin crew book-offs are off the charts the next two days, it's not a show of defiance or solidarity, it's in response to this:

Bargaining Committee Update - 30 - Lock Out Notice / Strike Notice - Update

Dear Members,

Many of you are reaching out to the Union regarding what your rights are if you are away and a Strike or Lock out moves forward. We are aware the Company has been reaching out by email and phone to advise you that your hotels and expenses will be paid while away. The Union was not advised of this, nor have we entered into an agreement with the Company in regard to your rights in the event of job action.

Your Union, as you have been advised, has gone to Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge to secure an orderly shut down, including requesting confirmation no one will be stranded. What we asked was clear, and to ensure there was no interruption to those that went to work to ensure our customers were able to complete the portion of their journeys.

This is what we sent to the employer and have requested discussion on since the beginning of bargaining, and specifically on December 11, 2024, and again during the early stages of conciliation on July 23, 2025:

Ramp Down:
The safe return to home base of all CUPE members that find themselves away from home base because of their work for the employer. All terms of the CA would apply until all members have been returned. This would apply in both a strike and lockout scenario.
If a member was not returned to their home base the employer will be responsible for this and make ever effort to return the member in 72hrs.
If needed, members would operate these flights home and all provisions of the current CA would apply.
The employer will provide the Union with a comprehensive list of all members operating away from home base at the time either parties provide 72 hr notice of a strike or lockout.

The employer commenced engaging with the Union August 13, 2025, with the below noted for the Ramp Down – to be clear – WE DID NOT AGREE:

4. All Crew who operate flight(s) prior to the Work Disruption, including flights that are in operation at the time a Work Disruption takes effect, may also be required to operate flight(s) to return them to Home Base, as they are not intended to be on strike/lockout until they return to Home Base.

5. The Company will make best efforts to deadhead Crew who have operated flight(s) away from their Home Base prior to the Work Disruption to their Home Base, subject to availability and operational need.

6. Crew deadheading to return to Home Base will not be paid or receive flight time credits, including any Duty Period Extension Premium, if applicable. Crew may be required to waive minimum crew rest in order to deadhead to their Home Base.

7. The 2022-2025 Collective Agreement draft provisions (Article B9 – Draft and L55.14.12) shall not apply to Crew deadheading after the start of the Work Disruption as it pertains to flight(s) that return the Crew to Home Base.

8. All Crew operating during the Work Disruption pursuant to this Memorandum of Agreement, will receive the applicable flight time credits or flight credits in accordance with the collective agreement and shall operate the flight, including performing the service, in accordance with all applicable practices, standards, procedures, rules and policies.

So, to be clear, VERY clear, the Collective Agreement has expired, and it will cease to apply when the strike commences on Saturday, August 16, 2025, at 12:58 am (When the strike or lockout ends, a new Collective Agreement will apply.)

There are some Crew who may be away from home base when the strike commences. The Union proposed that the Collective Agreement continue to apply to Crew until they returned back to their home base. The Company said no.

What this means for you: after 12:58 am on Saturday, August 16, 2025, there is no binding Collective Agreement. All of the protections and standards of the Collective Agreement – rules and entitlements that were bargained over many rounds of bargaining for your protection and benefit – are no longer in force.

For example, if the Company refuses to pay you the rate of pay you would normally be paid under the Collective Agreement, the Union cannot grieve on your behalf. You will no longer have any Collective Agreement protections. Govern yourself accordingly.

In solidarity,

Your Bargaining Committee

There is every reason to believe that the company will strand or otherwise screw over cabin crew members who are away from base as of midnight Aug 16th.

[Jean-Pierre]

From what I heard from other pilot during a strike they will also kick you out of the layover hotel. Just be prepared to have no where to stay and be competing with stranded passenger for a room. I wish you all the best with your strike if the government allow it.

[sportingrifle]

I was halfway between Toronto and LaGuardia when we went on strike in ‘98.
Upon arrival at LGA an hour later, our crew transport and hotel had been cancelled. By noon the next day all of our jumpseat privledges on other airlines had also been revoked.

And the company was able to organize all of the above that quickly in an age before email and cell phones!

[digits_]

Bargaining Committee Update - 30 - Lock Out Notice / Strike Notice - Update

[...]

For example, if the Company refuses to pay you the rate of pay you would normally be paid under the Collective Agreement, the Union cannot grieve on your behalf. You will no longer have any Collective Agreement protections. Govern yourself accordingly.

In solidarity,

Your Bargaining Committee

Does that mean junior crew members will make more, as they would need to make at least federal minimum wage

If anyone wonders why cabin crew book-offs are off the charts the next two days, it's not a show of defiance or solidarity, it's in response to this:

[...]
There is every reason to believe that the company will strand or otherwise screw over cabin crew members who are away from base as of midnight Aug 16th.

On a more serious note, absolutely ridiculous. Also hard to comprehend.... They could have gotten an extra flight or two in with the goodwill of the people involved. Not anymore it seems. Yikes.

Hope they strike long and hard!

[Me262]

I was halfway between Toronto and LaGuardia when ee wrnt on strike in ‘98.
Upon arrival at LGA an hour later, our crew transport and hotel had been cancelled. By noon the next day all of our jumpseat privledges on other airlines had also been revoked.

And the company was able to organize all of the above that quickly in an age before email and cell phones!

Were you able to expense your costs at hotel/to get home?

[Dias]

I would not be surprised if the company fires all of them. Management is that drunk with power.

[Inverted2]

I would not be surprised if the company fires all of them. Management is that drunk with power.

They would if they could. They’d bring over 10,000 East Indian replacements tomorrow, but thank god for the French rules. Never thought I’d praise the French requirements.

[truedude]

I would not be surprised if the company fires all of them. Management is that drunk with power.

This is definitely a very arrogant management group... their behaviour is hard to understand. The pass travel thing makes zero sense except to exercise power... I would be very curious to know which manager came up with that one.

[Daniel Cooper]

I bet they are raging at the politicians they bought off right now because no FAs are showing up to work.

[AV80R]

I bet they are raging at the politicians they bought off right now because no FAs are showing up to work.

Because the lockout/strike hasn't started yet are they on the hook for all the passenger compensation? I wonder if we're about to get a new Labour Minister (again).

[flieslikeachicken]

They're just waiting for the Liberals to step in and mandate them back to work.

[Me262]

Good job to everyone letting the liberals in power after 10 years of making this country into a shithole.

[Canadianpilot2024]

Just a matter of time. Curious how much AC would lose per day if they did shutdown though?

Does that mean pilots are at risk of being stranded too?

Hopefully Mike gets the boot if this all heads south

[TalkingPie]

It wasn't a dull day today. In addition to the poorly handled wind-down situation, management held a press conference whose lies were interrupted by about a dozen flight attendants who walked in holding "Unpaid work won't fly" signs and stood silently right in the middle of the proceedings, causing the pearled one and her lackeys to leave the room. CTV covered it but there are more complete versions of the video online; it was kind of funny. CUPE hosted its own press conference an hour or two later with different information.

In a half-assed reaction to the union's update about the wind-down, towards the evening (after most overseas flights would already have been crewed), the company posted a Globe message stating that hotels and per diems would be covered for cabin crew who are on layover at the start of the strike. It was signed simply "In-Flight Service" and contained enough weasel words to humble an actual weasel. Still no discussion with the union on the topic.

Air Canada's customer-facing Twitter account has devolved into a kind of Trumpian space where the company rants and complains about the flight attendants. One of the complaints was how book-offs today were twice the normal rate, causing an additional 19 cancelled flights. (I wonder whether they puzzled together why that was.)

The overall feeling is that public perception is very much on the side of the flight attendants. There is definitely worry that the labour minister might intervene on behalf of the company, but there's so much momentum among the employees, CUPE, the public, passengers, and other unions, that I wouldn't be surprised if a wildcat strike could happen if the government isn't careful.

[AV80R]

Is there any indication that if the wildcat strike occurs will other CUPE members join the strike?

[TalkingPie]

Is there any indication that if the wildcat strike occurs will other CUPE members join the strike?

The most concrete info that I can find of that is this short clip at the 2:00 mark of CUPE president Mark Hancock. It's nothing big, but he gives the impression that he could be ready for a fight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiKXth9 ... GlobalNews

I think that workers all over Canada are getting sick of the government effectively eliminating the Charter-protected right to strike the second a big company doesn't like the idea that it doesn't have all the power in a negotiation. It looks like Canadians might be willing to rally around flight attendants who are making less than minimum wage.

[AV80R]

I hope ALPA joins the strike too if Section 107 is invoked. It's sickening that the Minister is the one who brought the No response to your wage offer like she's a corporate lackey. This has to end now or we're all screwed.

[prop2jet]

Good job to everyone letting the liberals in power after 10 years of making this country into a shithole.

It could really matter less who is in power. Did you forget it was a Conservative Government that was in power that used legislation to prevent strike action and impose the 10 year collective agreement in the first place? They are all the same. When in opposition they will act one way and as soon as they get power they do as they please.

[Man_in_the_sky]

Just a matter of time. Curious how much AC would lose per day if they did shutdown though?

Does that mean pilots are at risk of being stranded too?

Hopefully Mike gets the boot if this all heads south

Pilot can still fly those plane back home if they are stuck somewhere, assuming there's a plane at the gate.

[daedalusx]

The Feds, either libs or cons, don’t give a flying @#$! about your charter of rights, as proven by the last 5 years.

[daedalusx]

Good job to everyone letting the liberals in power after 10 years of making this country into a shithole.

It could really matter less who is in power. Did you forget it was a Conservative Government that was in power that used legislation to prevent strike action and impose the 10 year collective agreement in the first place? They are all the same. When in opposition they will act one way and as soon as they get power they do as they please.

It’s all so tiresome…

[altiplano]

It could really matter less who is in power. Did you forget it was a Conservative Government that was in power that used legislation to prevent strike action and impose the 10 year collective agreement in the first place? They are all the same. When in opposition they will act one way and as soon as they get power they do as they please.

Conservatives didn't impose the 10 year deal. They imposed a 4 year deal, 1 year of which was already past. Then KV and the TA1 worms got back into key ACPA positions and entrenched our losses with the 10 year deal out of the regular bargaining cycle in 2014 that AC pilots actually voted in 80%+ with their beaten wife syndrome.

[Stu Pidasso]

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.

[truedude]

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.

What a bunch of bull! Maybe the way we are all compensated should be overhauled, with being paid our rate 30 min before a passenger sets foot on a plane.

Industry standard simply means resistant to change. And this Industry lives in the dark ages, and asks a lot of sacrifice of everyone in it, from time away from family, long days etc. It is time for a change and to drag this Industry into the 3rd decade of the 21st century, not the 1950's it refuses to leave.