Air Canada no longer wants to negotiate

Editor’s note: On August 17, CUPE defied the government of Canada’s back-to-work order as Air Canada suspends their profit forecast.

After nine months of the company delaying at the bargaining table on the fundamental issues – unpaid work and poverty wages – the union asked for and received an unprecedented 99.7 per cent strike mandate from its membership. Flight attendants turned out by the hundreds at airports across the country for a powerful showing of solidarity for their August 11 Day of Action.

Air Canada has seen how determined and united flight attendants are to end unpaid work and win a real cost-of-living increase to wages.

Now, Air Canada has decided they no longer want to negotiate. They want to go to arbitration, rather than stay at the bargaining table and bargain a new contract.

Everyone knows the best deals are negotiated at the bargaining table, not handed down by an outside third-party. Then why does Air Canada want the union to agree to arbitration?

First, arbitrators rely on precedent and the status quo to make their determinations. But Air Canada flight attendants are trying to break the status quo by ending the historic abuse of unpaid work in this industry. Air Canada wants an arbitrator to do their dirty work for them to keep the status quo intact.

Second, an arbitrator’s determination would be final. Members would not get a chance to vote on it. Air Canada wants to go to arbitration because they want to take away our members’ democratic voice.

The union has declined the company’s proposal to preserve the exploitative status quo and take away our members’ voice.

The Air Canada Component of CUPE remains at the bargaining table, ready to negotiate.

We have always been available to negotiate. The union was available to continue discussions while it sought a strike mandate – the company never reached out.

With respect to Air Canada’s latest offer: it is below inflation, below market value, below minimum wage – and still leaves flight attendants unpaid for all hours of work.

Currently, Air Canada flight attendants perform hours of critical safety-related duties for free. The company has offered to begin compensating flight attendants for some of these duties – but only at 50 per cent of their hourly rate, and the company is still refusing to compensate flight attendants for time spent responding to medical emergencies, fires, evacuations, and other safety and security-related issues on the ground.

Meanwhile, on wages, Air Canada’s offer is below market value, below inflation, and below minimum wage.

Air Canada has offered 8 per cent in the first year as a one-time catch-up. Meanwhile, flight attendants have taken a 9 per cent cut to their real wages due to inflation over the course of their last contract since 2015. This offer does not even keep up with inflation – it is, in effect, a pay cut. Air Canada’s offer is below inflation.

Air Canada is using misleading “kitchen-sink” figures to make the public believe that flight attendants who rely on food banks and second and third jobs are the ones being greedy. In reality, the company has offered a 17.2 per cent wage increase over four years. Even in year four of Air Canada’s offer, in 2028, Air Canada flight attendants would earn less than competitor airlines in Canada earn today. Air Canada’s offer is below market value.

Even with the “best offer” that Air Canada can make, an entry-level Air Canada flight attendant working full-time will still earn less than federal minimum wage. Junior Air Canada flight attendants working full-time (75 credit hours per month) currently earn $1,952 per month pre-taxes. With Air Canada’s first-year catch-up increase of 8 per cent, their earnings would increase to $2,108.16 per month. Meanwhile, a worker earning federal minimum wage at $17.75 per hour would earn $2,840.00 per month pre-taxes. Air Canada’s offer is below minimum wage.

Air Canada has posted billions in profits in recent years. They can afford to pay flight attendants fairly without raising costs for the public.

Air Canada flight attendants have been voted Best Cabin Crew in North America for years running. Their wages should reflect their professionalism and dedication to safety and service.

Wesley Lesosky is the president of the Air Canada Component of CUPE.