The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents over 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada. They’ve started a vote on whether to call for a strike mandate. This important decision follows over seven months of contract negotiations that recently ended without an agreement. The union has consistently communicated its deep frustrations with the conciliation process. This important mediation step, which takes place before strikers are possible, hasn’t been adequate.
The active voting period is currently scheduled to continue through August 5, 2025. Leading up to this period, CUPE members will be gauging support for a strike to push the die-in negotiation with the government to an end. The union announced the commencement of the vote through updates provided on July 28, 2025, at 11:48 am and again shortly after at 12:01 pm.
Negotiation Timeline and Challenges
CUPE has been bargaining with Air Canada for seven months. Like any good union, they are fiercely committed to winning more favorable working conditions and enhanced pay for their members. However, after months of conversation, neither party has been able to find common ground. The recent end of the conciliation process signifies a nearly complete collapse of communication. Consequently, CUPE is now proceeding with future strike actions.
So far, Union representatives have pulled no punches. They won’t suck it up and take bad deals that don’t serve their members well. The frustration among flight attendants is clear as they carry signs on the picket line telling passengers that they are unhappy and unsafe at work.
Cooling-Off Period Implications
Once the conciliation process is completed, there is a mandatory 21-day cooling-off period. During this period, not a penny should be able to be spent on striking. We understand this cooling-off period to start after the end of a 60-day conciliation period. If that vote for a strike mandate passes, CUPE has to sit and wait. Once a cooling-off period is declared, they cannot begin any strike action until that period ends.
This framework provides sufficient space and incentive for continued good faith bargaining by both sides. Through continued negotiations, they could act in the interest of all towards a deal and away from a strike. Nonetheless, CUPE’s leadership should be justly proud of their dogged determination to stand up for their members’ rights and interests during this entire process.
Future Considerations
Depending on how the vote plays out, it will have an enormous impact on Air Canada’s future business practices. This decision will determine the working conditions for flight attendants. If the rank and filers vote the strike mandate, it will give authority to the union chieftains. They must then be able to take strike action if further negotiations don’t result in acceptable terms.
The landscape is still changing, though CUPE will continue to do everything it can to keep its members informed about what’s going on as this situation develops. Negotiations are at a critical juncture, and the union’s leadership is focusing on building solidarity among flight attendants.
