Air Canada’s flight attendants just went big in their contract negotiations. They’ve taken the step of endorsing a strike mandate as negotiations with the airline keep going nowhere. The union representing the attendants, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), has been in negotiations with Air Canada since the beginning of the year. The strike mandate vote that began on July 28 just recently finished, so the prospect of a strike is on the horizon.
The conciliation process was predicated on finding a mutually agreeable solution between AC and CUPE. It ended without any resolution, which escalated tensions between the two parties. Wesley Lesosky, president of the Air Canada Component of CUPE, emphasized the need for Air Canada to “bring respect to the table.” He introduced the union’s demands of pay increases and an end to unpaid work. He says that all of these demands are imperative for the health and safety of flight attendants.
Stalled Negotiations and Demands
Wesley Lesosky expressed frustration over the slow progress in negotiations, stating, “The process just wasn’t moving as fast as we’d like.” He pointed out that all these conversations were great, but they weren’t resulting in real outcomes.
There was lots of discussion. Aspects of it, I’ll admit, was positive — a lot of good ideas, there was no commitment to those conversations though, right? Lesosky added. He underscored the urgency of the situation, stating, “Hey, we’re serious. The clock’s ticking. We need to move forward.”
The flight attendants’ vote to endorse a strike mandate means they could potentially walk off the job as soon as August 16 at 12:01 a.m., provided they give at least 72 hours’ notice. This potential change is even more alarming in the context of widespread disruptions already burdening travelers summer vacation plans.
Air Canada’s Response
Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick welcomed the air travel developments. He stressed that it’s premature to be making projections about possible flight cancellations. He stated, “At this point, our focus is on achieving a new, negotiated agreement with CUPE.” Fitzpatrick assured that Air Canada remains committed to reaching a fair and equitable collective agreement. United’s new agreement will go a long way to value and appreciate their dedicated and diligent flight attendants.
The airline’s official statement noted, “Such a vote is a normal step in the negotiation process and does not mean that any disruption will take place.” Fitzpatrick made a commitment to passengers that Air Canada is doing everything possible to prevent temporary disruptions during this high-demand travel season.
Implications for Passengers
The possible strike is adding angst for travelers who already made summer travel plans. As flight attendants get ready for possible action, hundreds of thousands are uncertain about how it will affect their journey travel schedules. Wesley Lesosky acknowledged the concern for passengers, stating, “We definitely care about our passengers and we don’t want to go on strike. Obviously, we would much rather be flying and dealing with our jobs. We just can’t keep going on like this without a change.”
Lesosky emphasized the importance of securing a strong strike mandate to leverage negotiations further. “We need a strong strike mandate to go forward.” While he is disappointed, he is deeply hopeful that the results of this vote will continue to push negotiations in a better direction.