Flight attendants at Air Canada are set to hold demonstrations at four major airports on Monday to press for higher pay and improved working conditions, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has announced.
The pickets, scheduled for 1 p.m. ET at airports in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary, will not disrupt airline operations, the union said.
The action comes as contract talks resumed on Friday, following a strike mandate overwhelmingly approved by members last week. This authorisation could allow flight attendants to take industrial action as early as 16 August if negotiations fail.
CUPE, which represents around 10,000 Air Canada cabin crew, said its key demands include payment for all hours worked – not only when aircraft are in motion – and an end to what it described as “poverty wages” that no longer reflect the economic realities of 2025.
“The standard simply can’t be maintained because it’s no longer acceptable,” said Wesley Lesosky, president of CUPE’s Air Canada component.
Traditionally, airlines have compensated cabin crew only for time spent in the air. In recent contract negotiations across North America, flight attendants have sought pay for duties such as boarding passengers and waiting between flights.
CUPE stressed that Monday’s demonstration is not a strike and will not affect Air Canada’s flight schedules.
