Air Canada Strike Ends: Union and Airline Reach Tentative Agreement on Wage Increases and Compensation for Flight Attendants

Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents its flight attendants, have reached a tentative agreement, bringing an end to a protracted strike that led to the cancellation of thousands of flights and left numerous passengers stranded.

In a statement on Tuesday, Hugh Pouliot, spokesperson for CUPE, declared, “Flight attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge have reached a tentative agreement, marking a significant shift in our industry following an unprecedented battle to assert our Charter rights. The era of uncompensated labor is over. We have reclaimed our voice and our power.”

The union members must now vote on the agreement for it to become binding. If they reject it, the strike could potentially resume.

Negotiations resumed between the two parties for the first time since Saturday night on Monday.

While all flights may not recommence immediately, Air Canada had previously stated that it could take up to a week to fully restore its schedule following the interruption. Operations were gradually scaled back beginning Thursday, just two days before the strike was due to commence.

Air Canada expressed its sincere apologies and regret for the disruption caused to its customers in a statement on Tuesday, acknowledging the significant hardship the suspension of services has imposed. The airline’s top priority now is to expedite passenger travel as quickly as possible.

The strike occurred despite an order from the Canadian Minister of Employment directing Air Canada and its employees to resume operations and bring the strike to an end.

Last week, 99.7% of flight attendants affiliated with CUPE voted in favor of the strike, prompting a walkout around 1 a.m. ET on Saturday. The striking workers were advocating for wage increases and compensation for work performed when planes are grounded.

Approximately 10,000 flight attendants participated in the strike, resulting in the stranding of approximately 130,000 passengers.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.