Air Canada flight attendants start voting on strike mandate

An Air Canada jet is manoeuvred on the tarmac at the airport, Wednesday, Nov.15, 2023 in Vancouver. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

MONTREAL — Air Canada flight attendants start voting today on whether to give a strike mandate to their union.

The vote, running through to Aug. 5, comes after the Air Canada component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees concluded the conciliation process with no deal reached.

The union represents more than 10,000 flight attendants who have been in contract talks since the start of the year.

The union’s bargaining committee told members it was seeking a strike mandate to fight for an industry-leading contract through collective power.

“This is where our strength lies and this is how we will show the company that we are united, serious, and will accept nothing less than the contract we deserve,” it said in a message to members.

Air Canada acknowledged the vote, saying it was a normal step in the negotiation process and does not mean a disruption will happen.

It noted that a strike can’t take place until after a 21-day cooling-off period after the 60-day conciliation period has expired, and in the meantime continues to work toward a deal.

“Air Canada is committed to the bargaining process and remains fully available to continue negotiations towards a fair and equitable collective agreement with CUPE that recognizes the contributions of its Flight Attendants and supports the competitiveness and long-term growth of the company,” it said in a July 25 statement posted on its website.

The union says that despite sustained efforts, including in the conciliation process with a federally-appointed mediator, key issues such as pay, unpaid work and pensions remain unresolved.

Last October, Air Canada’s 5,400 pilots voted in favour of a contract that will see them receive a nearly 42 per cent cumulative wage increase over four years.

Pilots had voted overwhelmingly in support of a strike mandate, but a shutdown was avoided after their union reached a deal with the airline just before the cooling-off period ended.