Flight Attendant strike vote opens on July 28th

[Tolippilot]

The only comparable AC CUPE will use, is the AC Pilots. At no point have they compared themselves to other FA's in Canada, or for that matter include the Americans.






"Pay example for Flight Attendant hired in 2015:

Starting wage in 2015: $25.13/hour
Present wage in 2025 if Flight Attendant remains working in the same Flight Attendant position: $63.07/hour, more than 150% increase in pay since beginning career"
"Pay example for Flight Attendant hired in 2015:

Starting wage in 2015: $25.13/hour
Present wage in 2025 if Flight Attendant remains working in the same Flight Attendant position: $63.07/hour, more than 150% increase in pay since beginning career
Present wage in 2025 if now working as a Service Director:
o $73.03/hour on narrow-body aircraft, more than 190% increase in pay since beginning career
o $87.01/hour on wide-body aircraft, more than 246% increase in pay since beginning career"
"The hourly pay is $41.39 for a Rouge flight attendant with 5 years of service, $63.07 for a mainline flight attendant with 10 years of service, and up to $87.01 for a service director.
A service director at Air Canada earned an average of $80,000 in 2024, excluding incentive rewards, and Health and Pension benefits. The role of the service director is to oversee onboard service. All flight attendants are eligible for this position.
Half of Air Canada mainline flight attendants earned more than $54,000 in 2024, excluding incentive rewards, and health and pension benefits. The median is influenced by the fact that about one third of flights attendants have been hired in the past 5 years. At the top of the scale, which they reach within 10 years, flight attendants can make more than $70,000."
"Crew members at Air Canada are scheduled to fly between 71-80 credit hours[1] per month eight months per year and between 76-85 credit hours per month four months per year. Crew members at Air Canada Rouge are scheduled to fly up to 95 credit hours per month"
"The maximum annual vacation entitlement for Air Canada cabin crew is 35 days plus 10 additional days for statutory holidays, or 45 paid vacation/statutory holiday days per year.
Adding statutory holidays and bankable sick days to their vacation entitlements and scheduled time off, Air Canada flight attendants worked an average of 10 to 12 days a month. Rouge Flight Attendants worked an average of 12 to 14 days a month."
I think that gives the public a better understanding of how an FA is compensated.

Based on your own math 25 $ wage at the average of 78 credit a month, would be a yearly salary of about 24 thousand a year... and for Present wages for a year 10 FA at AC based on your $63 and hour remark, would be about 59 thousand a year. Considering that's 10 years seniority at the largest airline in the country that's really bad. Livable, but really bad. And for starting FAs its far less then minimum wage. The system is broken, they need to fight for their rights. Your thoughts and feelings on this matter are garbage sir.

[gqra]

That’s your best comeback? As the saying goes; “the facts don’t care about your feelings.”

Hats off to CUPE as you have completely tricked the public into sympathy with the bs about unpaid work.

Along with the gender / alphabet people nonsense.

This attitude pretty much sums up why we had 10 year contracts and ratifying TA's with stagnant wages.

Why try to do better?

[confusedalot]

so.....with all of the rhetoric, who drove the low junior pay in the first place.

the company, or the membership.

you know what I mean.

[TalkingPie]

In the past hour or so Air Canada management apparently signaled that they were ready to resume negotiations, for the first time since last Tuesday. Maybe they got the hint that daddy government isn't going to be able to fix this for them this time.

The strike is set to continue until the bargaining committee accepts a tentative agreement.

[goingnowherefast]

Fantastic news!
Amazing how a strike turns up the heat and encourages management to get back to the table.

Hopefully next time, they won't depend so heavily on the government to do all the work for them.

[fixnfly]

Looks like Air Canada is already bailing on negotiations not even an hour after they started.

"7:25 p.m. EDT: Air Canada won’t negotiate with union until they return to work: Airline COO

Air Canada says flight attendants need to return to work before the airline can push on with negotiations, even as the union says it won’t end its now unlawful strike until a deal is reached at the bargaining table.

Air Canada chief operating officer Mark Nasr says the airline is ready to work on an industry-leading deal, but can’t do that while planes are grounded.

Nasr says the Canadian Union of Public Employees needs to direct flight attendants back to work because the Canada Industrial Relations Board has ruled the strike unlawful."

[TalkingPie]

Interesting. Can I ask for the source on that? I wonder which news supersedes which. At 8:25 PM EDT tonight, CUPE issued this:

Bargaining Committee Update - 44

Dear Members,

The Company reached out to the Component President today, and we moved forward in our continued attempts to reach a fair deal.

The Union is currently in meetings with Air Canada, with the assistance of Mediator William Kaplan, in Toronto.

These meetings started this evening, and we will keep everyone posted on how they move forward.

At this time, the strike is still on, and the talks have just commenced.

In solidarity,

Your Bargaining Committee

[GIVCE!]

Well the headline on CTV news is currently at 8:47 “ACwont negotiate with union until they return to work”…. Looks they didn’t get the message.
And Stu, really? As a presumably card carrying union member with AC or a major Canadian airline this is how you feel? Don’t you think this sends a unified message to all corporations across Canada not to @#$! with unions anymore? How do you it see this lifting EVERYONE up from Where we are? I’m baffled at your responses…
G

[Dias]

The news is almost always wrong. I would take the word of the union in the negotiations before believing anything I saw on the news.

[AV80R]

Every time a Air Canada senior executive goes on TV for an interview my concern that there are no adults managing this airline goes up.

The COO sounds like he has less than 90 IQ and talks like he's an AI animated character.

The CEO seems to be completely isolated from the struggles of the average Canadian, to a let them eat cake level. It didn't seem like he felt it was a problem at all to openly admit his only plan for a strike was Section 107.

How do these people get these jobs? Is it failing upwards? Is it all who you know?

[fixnfly]

Every time a Air Canada senior executive goes on TV for an interview my concern that there are no adults managing this airline goes up.

The COO sounds like he has less than 90 IQ and talks like he's an AI animated character.

The CEO seems to be completely isolated from the struggles of the average Canadian, to a let them eat cake level. It didn't seem like he felt it was a problem at all to openly admit his only plan for a strike was Section 107.

How do these people get these jobs? Is it failing upwards? Is it all who you know?

+1
I kind of knew the leadership team was weak, but after this strike, it's become readily apparent that the executive leadership is abysmal and completely lacks direction. They need to clean house and replace everyone at the upper management level. I can't believe there isn't more pressure from the shareholders. These negotiations have been a complete disaster and have significantly damaged the companys reputation and employee morale. They need to bring back Calin Rovinescu or even better, Ben Smith.

[daedalusx]

TA reached

Guess we’ll find out what peak leverage is.

[TalkingPie]

Every time a Air Canada senior executive goes on TV for an interview my concern that there are no adults managing this airline goes up.

The COO sounds like he has less than 90 IQ and talks like he's an AI animated character.

The CEO seems to be completely isolated from the struggles of the average Canadian, to a let them eat cake level. It didn't seem like he felt it was a problem at all to openly admit his only plan for a strike was Section 107.

How do these people get these jobs? Is it failing upwards? Is it all who you know?

+1
I kind of knew the leadership team was weak, but after this strike, it's become readily apparent that the executive leadership is abysmal and completely lacks direction. They need to clean house and replace everyone at the upper management level. I can't believe there isn't more pressure from the shareholders. These negotiations have been a complete disaster and have significantly damaged the companys reputation and employee morale. They need to bring back Calin Rovinescu or even better, Ben Smith.

Rovinescu was no friend to Air Canada employees, but at least he seemed to have a vision, a plan, and charisma to move the company forward.

Rousseau came in after the pandemic and did nothing but presumably try to make the balance sheets look as good as possible while extracting maximum money for himself. Maybe he had financial chops as a CFO, I don't know, but the guy clearly never had the leadership qualities to be a CEO. The rumour even before this was that he was on his way out; I'd be shocked if he wasn't shown the door after this last week's poor performance.

After seeing Nasr flail around during interviews, I assume that someone's dad must've brought him into this position. The guy made a complete fool of himself.

Anyway, straight from CUPE's mouth:

Bargaining Committee Update - 45
Mediation and Bargaining Concludes - Strike Over

Dear Members,

The Union has just completed mediation with Air Canada/Air Canada Rouge.

This was done with our Chief Mediator William Kaplan.

The Strike has ended. We have a tentative agreement we will bring forward to you.

We are required to advise our membership that we must fully cooperate with resumption of operations.

Your Union worked from 19:00h last night to 04:23h this morning.

We will have zoom road shows and a ratification for this contract. Your right to vote on your wages was preserved and we will go over this on the zoom presentation.

Your Union will have more information on this, and want you to know we will go over the details fully.

In solidarity,

Your Bargaining Committee

Next will be to see what kind of tentative agreement was hammered out. After all that the union has accomplished and risked here, I like to think that they didn't give in to something unreasonable, but we'll see. I don't know that we can reasonably expect them to push even harder if this TA gets voted down.

[redbusdriver]

presumably try to make the balance sheets look as good as possible while extracting maximum money for himself. Maybe he had financial chops as a CFO, I don't know

. That's debatable. Suspending financial outlook should be an embarressment for him. I suppose he and management can continue making their big bucks and bonuses in the meantime. Likely a bonus for them for riding out the strike, some more money will help with their emotional distress.

[Tolippilot]

My guess is they will extend the length of the agreement for atleast an additional year. Which is a huge win for the company, and in return for that maybe 3-4% increase to wages focusing most on year one pay. And they will likly get ground pay at 50%.

[NSFly]

My guess is they will extend the length of the agreement for atleast an additional year. Which is a huge win for the company, and in return for that maybe 3-4% increase to wages focusing most on year one pay. And they will likly get ground pay at 50%.

They already offered them an 8% increase in year one and 50% ground pay, which was not even presented to the membership. It’ll be more than that

[Tolippilot]

My guess is they will extend the length of the agreement for atleast an additional year. Which is a huge win for the company, and in return for that maybe 3-4% increase to wages focusing most on year one pay. And they will likly get ground pay at 50%.

They already offered them an 8% increase in year one and 50% ground pay, which was not even presented to the membership. It’ll be more than that

Sorry, that 3-4% raise, I meant it as additional to what was previously offered. And sadly, I still don't belive they will get more then 50% ground pay. And all this will result in a longer agreement, which carries alot of value to the company.

Im sure the union was under absolute tremendous pressure to come to a deal last night. With both the government and company lording over them. Remember what negotiating against these big companies is like. They never cave, they are brick walls. Im sure the FAs will receive incremental gains in exchange for a longer term agreement.

[JungleRiot]

Not official.

AC agreed-upon terms:

4 year CA, retroactive April 2025-March 2029

Rainmaker - pay breakdown and transparency at Rouge.

Language about under/overpayments. Amounts allowed to be deducted.

Unpaid Work:
- “Ground and Cabin Security Premium”
- Narrow body: 60 minutes at 50% salary
- 2026 60%
- 2027 65%
- 2028 70%
- Wide body at 70 minutes same percentage

Passport reimbursement

Service fees waved on past travel

3h 15m credit on vacation days

2h 55m credit “ “ (rouge)

4h paid when reporting to airport

Crew rest & reassignment included

125h sick time at retirement can be cashed out

Pay Freeze ended (clarification)

Prone rest 8h

Improved benefit package

Intro of new aircraft must be approved by the union

Crew rest provisions on board (enhanced)

Flow for unilingual FAs - now approved

Crew complement improvements on A321 additional crew member over flights 7.5h
787-900 up one FA
1 More crew on bigger A/C
Denied reducing lesser crew rest in lieu of higher crew complement

DH seating priority - same as pilots, will be provided with economy with option to upgrade to highest class. Ordered it DH seat assignment SHALL BE aisle seat, then window, then middle. Zone 3 boarding on all flights to accommodate crew bag space

On board crew rest seat improvements flights 7.5h or more, the last sold seats will be last bank of seats

Reserve
16h reserve instead of 24h
Reassignment
If CCM is scheduled to arrive prior to 0300 they cannot be reassigned in the same calendar day

Trip trades
Enhancements to system will be done within the time of this agreement
A union committee will be erected

Opening a base in YVR for rouge
Space for union office, no cost to membership. 50/50 cost split with company

Rouge pay protection (sked or better with reassignment)

Pension improvements

Special assignments
Instructor roles, skill positions
Pay differentials owed to crew based on accepting special assignments. Language on how wage will be determined.

Filling of in-charge (CM) vacancies
More opening up
Based on seniority, not allowing the company to “hand select” who they want

Wages
AC proposed 6%
Came back with 12% for steps 1-9 mainline (all steps rouge)
8% for the rest of steps mainline
Retroactive to April 1, 2025
Union does not feel this was adequate

Pay claim for anything past 15m past duty period (president said “idc if it’s serving someone a coke or waiting on a wheelchair, it’s a pay claim for working past your duty release). Pay claim for having to show up prior to 1h before flight (delays).

AC Union stands behind everything EXCEPT wages. Encourages members to vote how they deem necessary.

[Tolippilot]

Yup, that's what I figured. Remember 99 percent of all these things were already agreed too before hand. The only out standing items were wages and ground pay, and 50% ground pay was already offered prior (so no big change there) and the 12 % pay increase is what i thought it would be aswell, a small percentage higher then what was previously offered.

Was the last offer also a four year deal? I wonder, usually company's try to use these opportunities to sneak an additional year out of the contract.

[crystalpizza]

- “Ground and Cabin Security Premium”
- Narrow body: 60 minutes at 50% salary
- Wide body at 70 minutes same percentage

Is this per leg, or per duty day?

[Bede]

When that winds its way through the courts, especially with Tremblay's refusal to recuse herself given the blatant conflict of interest, things could go sideways for AC after the dust settles.

She did. Jennifer Webster, the Vice Chair, was handling it.

[Stu Pidasso]

Letter.JPG (244.06 KiB) Viewed 1017 times

This was posted on our forum, bad news for her everyone knows her name. A FA commuting will never get a jumpseat on my flight (that includes the cabin.)

Some snot nosed Rouge FA,

[Stu Pidasso]

Fortunately, I have never worked for Rouge.

I have never seen a Pilot ask for something, for nothing. However - I have spent a lifetime commuting watching FA's smuggle J-Class meals to the back galley. Newsflash sweetheart, a moment on the lips equals a lifetime on the hips. Keep it up - a slow move to the grave.

I can say I have not had an AC Crew Meal in over 25 years, and that is flying overseas.

Way to go, you flex your muscle on onboard food and convince yourself you are truly something.

Pathetic!

[Dias]

How much is corporate paying you?

[Mac08]

Heres an idea... Since you and Altiplano are so bothered by flight attendants because they won't sleep with you, you guys can just screw each other