It will be more than two weeks until we know the results of the vote on the tentative, new deal for Air Canada flight attendants.
Air Canada management and the flight attendants’ union reached a tentative agreement on Tuesday, 19AUG, ending a painful, costly three-day strike that saw thousands of flights cancelled. It also caused enormous headaches for the airline, its customers, and for travel advisors.
The union will present the proposed package to its members in a series of meetings starting 27AUG, 2025. The Air Canada component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees told Open Jaw that voting will finish on 06SEP and they expect results to be announced later that day.
If the contract is voted down by a majority of union members, negotiators would likely return to mediated talks for three days. That would be followed by arbitration if needed, The Globe and Mail reports.
Flight attendants will only vote on the hourly pay portion of the four-year agreement, which provides a 12% increase immediately, dated back to April 1, for flight attendants who have five years or less of service with Air Canada, while flight attendants who have more than five years with the company would receive an 8% pay bump.
Starting pay is currently $30 an hour for Air Canada flight attendants. Cabin crews at Air Canada Rouge start at $26.42 an hour, the Globe said.
Members will not vote on the rest of the contract, under an agreement negotiators reached with the mediator. That package includes better pensions, vacation, sick leave, per diem allowances and compensation for work done before the plane moves, or ground pay.
On a related note, Air Canada’s action website on 22AUG said 98% of domestic flights and 99% of both US and international flights are expected to take place in the next 24 hours, meaning the airline is almost back to normal.
