Over 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants threaten strike over ‘poverty wages’

More than 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada are getting ready for a potential strike in August 2025 to protest “unpaid work and poverty wages” after months of unsuccessful negotiations with Canada’s largest carrier. 

The Air Canada Component of CUPE, which represents more than10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, announced in a statement that its members have voted 99.7% in favor of strike action if a deal cannot be reached. 

The union said that the vote shows the “deep frustration” of flight attendants after months of unproductive negotiations, due to the airline’s “refusal to fairly negotiate on key issues”. 

“The company would rather drag their feet than negotiate on the things that matter to our members,” said Wesley Lesosky, President of the Air Canada Component of CUPE. “Now, flight attendants have had a chance to weigh in and tell the company it’s time to get serious about negotiating.” 

Underpaid despite airline profits 

The union stated that it is currently negotiating a new contract with Air Canada after the previous 10-year agreement expired, saying that “Air Canada flight attendants are not paid for a significant portion of their time on the job.” 

The union pointed out that over the past 25 years inflation has risen by 169%, while average full-time wages in Canada have gone up by 210%. However, CUPE noted that the wages for entry-level Air Canada flight attendants have only increased by 10% during the same period, which amounts to $3 per hour. 

The union members argued that a full-time entry-level flight attendant at Air Canada earns less than the minimum wage. 

“While the airline continues to slap junk fees on flyers and gouge the public, they’re also exploiting their own employees by severely underpaying flight attendants or refusing to pay them at all for safety-critical aspects of our jobs,” Lesosky said. 

The union also highlighted that Air Canada is among the most profitable companies in Canada. Lesosky mentioned that the airline “can afford to pay fairly without raising costs for the public.”  

On July 28, 2025, Air Canada announced that it generated operating revenues exceeding $5.6 billion in the second quarter of 2025, which is $113 million more compared to the same period last year. 

Airline committed to negotiate 

In response, Air Canada said in a statement that it “remains committed to the bargaining process and is eager to resume discussions” with the union. 

The carrier noted that it is “determined to reach a fair and equitable collective agreement” with its flight attendants that “supports the competitiveness and long-term growth of the company.” 

“Air Canada firmly believes that there is more than enough time to reach such an agreement and avoid disrupting the plans of hundreds of thousands of travelers,” the statement continued. 

The union announced its intention to issue a 72-hour strike notice on August 16, 2025, if negotiators reach a deadlock with the airline and most members vote in favor of the strike. The post Over 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants threaten strike over ‘poverty wages’ appeared first on AeroTime.

Go to Source