Air Canada flight attendants end strike after tentative deal
Air Canada’s flight attendants have reached a tentative agreement with the airline, ending a four-day strike — the first by its cabin crew in 40 years — that disrupted travel plans for hundreds of thousands of passengers.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents about 10,400 flight attendants, confirmed on Tuesday that mediation with Air Canada and its low-cost affiliate Rouge was completed. “The strike has ended. We have a tentative agreement we will bring forward to you,” the union said in a Facebook post, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Air Canada said it will gradually restore operations, but warned it could take up to 10 days for its schedule to stabilize. Some flights will continue to be canceled during that period, with affected passengers offered refunds, travel credits, or rebooking on other airlines.
The strike began Saturday after contract negotiations broke down, with attendants demanding pay for tasks such as boarding passengers — work that currently goes unpaid. The airline had earlier proposed a 38% compensation increase over four years, including a 25% raise in the first year, which the union deemed insufficient.
In a rare defiance, CUPE continued the strike even after the Canada Industrial Relations Board ruled the stoppage unlawful, creating a standoff between the airline, workers, and the federal government. Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu pledged to investigate the industry’s unpaid work practices, a key grievance among flight attendants.
The walkout forced Air Canada to withdraw its third-quarter and full-year earnings guidance as passengers faced delays, cancellations, and crowded airports. Despite frustrations, many travelers expressed sympathy for the workers.
It remains unclear whether the tentative deal addresses attendants’ demand for pay covering ground duties, though the issue has gained traction across North America as airline unions push for stronger contracts amid a tight labor market.
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