More than 100,000 passengers were left stranded after Air Canada's flight attendants went on strike. Canada's government says it is stepping in to avoid lasting economic damage.
More than 100,000 passengers from across the world have been left stranded after Air Canada’s staff strike over pay.
AirCanada and it’s employee are in negotiations since December, at the last negotiation (the one that force the vote for a strike) AirCanada step out of the negotiation without a word and ghost the Union’s negotiators. After that they choose an arbitration (which will probably be immensely beneficial for them), the union refuse rightly so.
Now seeing the strike approaching the Union tried to build a plan with AirCanada for the closing of operations in an orderly fashion, AirCanada ghost them and change employee scheduling so as much as possible employee will be stranded outside of Canada, employees had to call ill en masse so they didn’t fly a one way to Beijing without hotel or way home. The Union tried to find a way out of this, AirCanada lied to it’s employees saying that if they come out on their flight they will be paid, press by a strike watchdog they had to explain that the employees working on their way home will not be paid and will not be protected by their collective bargain.
AirCanada are asshole and they make that situation, they build it so people will lose their travel plan when they refuse to negotiate. Now they want the government to clean up their mess with a special law that will force flight attendants to go back to work.
I’ve heard the main sticking point for negotiations is that the union wants to be paid for the time they’re at work and not just for the time they’re in the air, which is how they’re paid now. They don’t get paid for boarding, deboarding, cabin checks, etc.
Air Canada is insisting on demanding free labour from the cabin crews before and after their flights.
It needs to change for all flight attendants. Imagine if you worked in a call center and rather than being paid for when got there to when you left you were only paid for time you’re actually on a call. Not in between calls, writing notes, set up for the next call, etc. Think of how quickly that would add up.
AirCanada ghost them and change employee scheduling so as much as possible employee will be stranded outside of Canada, employees had to call ill en masse so they didn’t fly a one way to Beijing without hotel or way home.
our aircraft are positioned in the right place, for the duration of the stoppage and for when the time comes to restart our operation
which would effectively mean stranding unpaid crew across the globe for the duration of a strike/lockout to apply pressure to settle in their own favour.
Didn’t see it in the article so …
AirCanada and it’s employee are in negotiations since December, at the last negotiation (the one that force the vote for a strike) AirCanada step out of the negotiation without a word and ghost the Union’s negotiators. After that they choose an arbitration (which will probably be immensely beneficial for them), the union refuse rightly so.
Now seeing the strike approaching the Union tried to build a plan with AirCanada for the closing of operations in an orderly fashion, AirCanada ghost them and change employee scheduling so as much as possible employee will be stranded outside of Canada, employees had to call ill en masse so they didn’t fly a one way to Beijing without hotel or way home. The Union tried to find a way out of this, AirCanada lied to it’s employees saying that if they come out on their flight they will be paid, press by a strike watchdog they had to explain that the employees working on their way home will not be paid and will not be protected by their collective bargain.
AirCanada are asshole and they make that situation, they build it so people will lose their travel plan when they refuse to negotiate. Now they want the government to clean up their mess with a special law that will force flight attendants to go back to work.
Fuck them
I’ve heard the main sticking point for negotiations is that the union wants to be paid for the time they’re at work and not just for the time they’re in the air, which is how they’re paid now. They don’t get paid for boarding, deboarding, cabin checks, etc.
Air Canada is insisting on demanding free labour from the cabin crews before and after their flights.
Fuck them.
That’s the standard for ALL flight attendants, changing that will be a huge blow to the industry.
When AirCanada was started the rate for flight attendants was 4 times the minimum wage per hours, it was way above the national average.
The flight attendants union said to AirCanada pay us the same rate adjust to inflation and they will accept. AirCanada declined their offer
Ending slavery was a huge blow for the industry.
I don’t give a fuck. Humans should always be the priority. Otherwise you are just simping for some billionaire to have their fourth yatch.
I’m with you on this one, I only want to show that AirCanada don’t and didn’t negotiate in good faith … ever
I’m tired of seeing news outlets forgetting this part and picturing the attendants struggle as a whim on their part.
AirCanada made their bed and it is now refusing to acknowledge it’s huge role in the cluster fuck and no fucking news people is saying it
Less than 24h in and the liberal work minister forced the flight attendants to go in legal arbitration, siding with the patrons
https://startrek.website/post/27698982
I hope workers one day remembers that when unions started they weren’t legal. They became legal through the blood of workers.
When “fair pay for fair work” is a detriment to the industry, the industry is already sick.
The first airline in this market that comes up to the “fair pay” line will win all the staff.
Not all. American Airlines employees won boarding pay this year.
https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2025/03/25/american-airlines-flight-attendants-will-soon-become-the-first-unionized-worforce-to-earn-boarding-pay-six-months-after-contract-was-ratified/
It needs to change for all flight attendants. Imagine if you worked in a call center and rather than being paid for when got there to when you left you were only paid for time you’re actually on a call. Not in between calls, writing notes, set up for the next call, etc. Think of how quickly that would add up.
Do you have a source for this?
I was thinking that they were not public but it seems that they are so
Oh, wow, I see. That is quite devious. Thank you for sharing that. I will be sure to bring this up when the topic does inevitably come up.
Internal Union messages
And a translator? It seems the comment needs laundering through gTranslate or something.
The statement they posted from Air Canada says:
which would effectively mean stranding unpaid crew across the globe for the duration of a strike/lockout to apply pressure to settle in their own favour.