Air Canada Flight Attendants Plan Nationwide Picket Over Pay Dispute

TORONTO— Air Canada (AC) flight attendants are set to hold coordinated pickets at airports in four major Canadian cities on Monday (August 11, 2025), according to their union.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) states that demonstrations will take place at Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL), Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), Vancouver International Airport (YVR), and Calgary International Airport (YYC) at 1:00 p.m. ET. The action aims to spotlight concerns over low wages and unpaid work during ground time.

Photo: Air Canada (Representative Image)

Air Canada Attendants Picket

CUPE’s Air Canada component says its members recently voted 99.7 percent in favour of a strike mandate, giving the union the authority to call a work stoppage with at least 72 hours’ notice. This means flight attendants could legally walk off the job as early as August 16 at 12:01 a.m.

The union and Air Canada have been in negotiations since early 2025, but talks reached a stalemate after a formal conciliation process failed to produce a mutually agreed-upon agreement.

CUPE alleges that flight attendants face “poverty wages” and perform unpaid labour while the aircraft is on the ground, a longstanding point of contention in the airline industry.

On Friday, union negotiators were set to return to the bargaining table with Air Canada to secure a deal before the strike deadline. The dispute covers cabin crew working for both Air Canada’s mainline operations and its leisure subsidiary, Air Canada Rouge.

Representative Photo: Air Canada

Airline Response and Outlook

In a statement issued last week, Air Canada said it remains committed to reaching a “fair and equitable” agreement that recognises the contributions of its flight attendants while protecting the airline’s competitiveness and long-term growth.

The company stressed there is still time to resolve the dispute without disrupting travel plans for thousands of passengers. The outcome of the talks in the coming days will determine whether Canada’s largest airline faces its first major flight attendant strike in years.

Representative Photo: Air Canada

About CUPE Air Canada

Airline crews aren’t paid for essential duties like helping passengers board, completing pre-flight safety checks, deplaning, or managing delays. When all that unpaid time is added up, it’s nearly a full work week every month—done for free.

They’re still in uniform. Still on the job. Still responsible for passenger safety and well-being. And this is happening in Canada, in 2025.

Many see it as unacceptable. The CEO has declined to comment.

Before any strike action can happen, the union will bring members a strike vote. They’ll outline the issues and explain why a strike mandate may be necessary.

Members have also reported being pressured to board overheated aircraft. According to Aviation Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, cabin temperatures must be between 18°C and 29°C before boarding.

The company has systems to monitor cabin temperature and policies requiring cabins to be cooled before passengers and crew enter.

Safety—for workers and passengers—must come first. It is not acceptable for anyone to be pressured into working in unsafe conditions, especially when regulations and company policy explicitly forbid it.

All CUPE members are protected by a collective agreement. Local unions negotiate these agreements, and elected leaders work with employers to address workplace issues.

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