Air Canada’s flight attendants, represented by their union, began a work stoppage early Saturday after negotiations with the airline reached an impasse. This strike, the first for cabin crew since 1985, could significantly affect travel for over 100,000 passengers.
The union, which includes more than 10,000 attendants, announced the strike via social media at around 1 AM. One major sticking point is that attendants are paid only while the plane is in motion—something the union wants to change, seeking compensation for time spent on the ground between flights and during boarding.
Air Canada, headquartered in Montreal, is expected to react swiftly by locking out the striking workers. Reports indicate that around 500 flights could be canceled by the end of Friday amidst peak summer travel.
On just that day, it is estimated that about 100,000 travelers could find their plans disrupted.
Pickets may take place at several major airports across Canada, where many passengers have already begun to seek new flight arrangements early in the week.
Freddie Ramos, a 24-year-old traveler, recounted his experience with flight cancellations at Toronto Pearson International Airport due to the labor dispute. “It was, I think, about ten minutes before boarding, and then suddenly our gate changed, then got canceled, and then we were sent to another gate that was also late,” he said.
Typically, Air Canada and its budget airline, Air Canada Daluge, service roughly 130,000 customers daily. They hold the title of the foreign airline with the highest number of flights to the United States.
While support for the flight attendants is prominent on social media, there’s also tension stemming from the trade dispute with the U.S., with some Canadian companies advocating for the federal government to intervene and enforce binding arbitration to resolve the strike.
Air Canada has approached Prime Minister Mark Kearney’s government for assistance, suggesting binding arbitration amidst concerns raised by civil servant unions representing the attendants.
Canada’s labor legislation allows the Employment Minister, Patty Hajdu, to request that the national Labor Relations Committee enforce binding arbitration to prevent economic disruptions.
Hajdu has repeatedly encouraged both sides to resume negotiations.
The union has indicated that Air Canada has proposed to start compensating flight attendants for currently unpaid work, but at only half the typical hourly rate.
According to the airline, their offer includes a 38% increase in overall compensation for flight attendants spread over four years, with a 25% increase slated for the first year.
A financial analyst from TD Cowen noted in a client memo that airlines should consider making concessions to resolve the deadlock, mentioning investor worries about potential revenue losses and rising labor costs. “I think it would be wise for Air Canada to seek stability in labor relations,” they advised, cautioning against negotiations that could lead to a costly stalemate.
