Air Canada flight attendants bring unpaid work into stark relief

For the first time in forty years, Air Canada’s flight attendants — as represented by the Air Canada Component of CUPE — on 16 August went on strike in a bid to secure better wages, including compensation for the unpaid work they do on the ground before an aircraft pushes back from the gate.

The strike lasted for over three days, forced Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge to ground operations, and even saw the government intervene with a back-to-work order that the union defied. On 19 August, union leaders brokered a tentative agreement with management.

Now Air Canada’s flight attendants have a decision to make — ratify the deal including all terms and wages or turn it down and move forward to arbitration.

Details of the tentative pact have not been disclosed but according to CBC News, it would give flight attendants “at least 60 minutes of ground pay, for their time before each flight, at a rate of 50 percent of a flight attendant’s hourly rate, with that rate increasing five percent each year.”

In a statement, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) called the fight “historic” and said: “Unpaid work is over. We have reclaimed our voice and our power. When our rights were taken away, we stood strong, we fought back — and we secured a tentative agreement that our members can vote on.”

It often surprises travelers to learn that many flight attendants in North America are not paid for assisting passengers with boarding, pre-flight safety checks, and other ground work. Bucking the trend in 2022, Delta started paying its flight attendants 50% of their standard hourly rate for boarding. And recently, Canadian operator Porter Airlines began giving flight attendants partial pay for boarding duties. Porter’s flight attendants joined CUPE in July.

There is clearly a shift transpiring in industry and it’s difficult to see it as being anything other than a good thing for flight attendants and the passengers they serve.

As to whether the tentative agreement will be accepted by flight attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge is anyone’s guess. But travelers are certainly relieved that the disruptions caused by the strike are being ironed out during this busy travel season.

Indeed, Air Canada has largely restored operations. According to a dashboard created by the airline, 99% of all flights in Canada, to the United States, and to international destinations are expected to operate today.

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Featured image credited to Jason Rabinowitz