Air Canada‘s flight attendants have taken to the picket line at four major Canadian airports in what the union’s calling a national day of action as labour negotiations continue.
The move comes as the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)’s Air Canada component is in contract talks with the airline.
Members will gather at Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Vancouver International Airport and Calgary International Airport starting at 1 p.m. Eastern.
The “day of action” is expected to last about an hour, the union told Global News in an email.
In past weeks, CUPE has stressed its members have lost “significant purchasing power” and that it’s negotiating for higher wages and an “end to the abuse of unpaid work.”
The union said that before, during and after flights, flight attendants are required to perform “hours of unpaid mandatory” duties, including safety checks, boarding, deplaning and assisting passengers with special needs.
Story continues below advertisement
1:05
Air Canada flight attendants vow ‘day of action’ to draw attention to labour dispute
CUPE says its “day of action” is about raising awareness of that unpaid work, as well as “poverty wages” it says its members are paid.
Get daily National news
Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
“We’re proud to put on this uniform and help keep the public safe on their journey, but the days of us doing it for free or for poverty wages must end,” said Wesley Lesosky, president of the Air Canada component of CUPE. “We’re standing together for respect and a fair contract that matchs to the professionalism and dedication we bring to work every day.”
1:47
Air Canada optimistic a deal can be reached ahead of strike action
Trending Now
Lotto 6/49 and Lotto Max winning numbers for Friday and Saturday
New Brunswick wildfires: 2 areas burning ‘out of control,’ no rain in sight
Negotiations between Air Canada and CUPE resumed on Friday and were continuing as of Monday, but those renewed talks came with the threat of a strike looming after members voted 99.7 per cent in favour of a strike mandate.
Story continues below advertisement
Contract talks between the two groups have been ongoing since the beginning of the year.
The union filed for conciliation in May, with that process having ended last month when the union called on July 25 for a strike vote.
A 21-day cooling off period began when the conciliation period ended, meaning while the strike vote could take place, actual job action could not.
More on Canada
More videos
The cooling off period ends this Friday, setting the stage for a potential strike with the union saying a 72-hour strike notice could be given as soon as 12:01 a.m. on Saturday.
The airline has said it’s “determined to reach a fair and equitable collective agreement that recognizes the contributions of its flight attendants and supports the competitiveness and long-term growth of the company.”
In an email to Global News on Monday, it said it expects flights to operate normally amid the demonstrations.
“Demonstrations are a usual part of such negotiations,” an airline spokesperson wrote. “Air Canada remains at the table and is focused on achieving a deal with CUPE that recognizes the contributions of its Flight Attendants and supports the competitiveness and long-term growth of the company.”
The negotiations concern flight attendants working for Air Canada’s main operations, as well as for Air Canada Rouge.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.