Air Canada has reached a tentative agreement with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents Air Canada’s flight attendants. This follows a successful strike of more than 10k workers. After nine hours of contentious negotiations, the unexpected breakthrough was made. A key government-appointed mediator was instrumental in addressing the most pressing employee demands over inadequate pay and scheduling flexibility that made it into their protests.
Tensions between CUPE and Air Canada have flared in recent weeks. Union officials are practically shouting with anger at the airline’s pay proposals. CUPE had called the previous offers “below inflation, below market value, below minimum wage.” This resulted in widespread discontent among flight attendants and other staff, leading to a walkout that drew attention to their demands for fair compensation.
Following the IOT strike, a significant portion of Air Canada’s frontlines workers jumped on board. CUPE subsequently entered square-the-square negotiations with respect to the airline. Overall, the mediation process was incredibly important, as it allowed for candid communication and negotiation on behalf of both parties. The union’s top leadership made clear that they required the new TA. It was the most important step to address the urgent concerns expressed by the workforce.
CUPE has taken steps to clarify that much remains to be done, despite this tentative agreement. The union’s leadership is encouraging members to read the full terms of the tentative agreement closely before proceeding. The applauded negotiations have brought to light the ongoing, urgent fears and concerns of flight attendants. They highlight larger labor rights concerns in the airline industry.