Flight attendant union calls on Ottawa to reject airlines’ claims over unpaid labour

Canada’s largest flight attendants union says airlines are using a “misleading” definition of work in reports submitted to the federal government, making it appear that cabin crews are always paid fairly, reports the Canadian Press.

At the centre of the dispute is the definition of “work” and the use of section 107 in the Canada Labour Code.

In a letter to Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu, union leader Wesley Lesosky argued that airlines failed to count many unpaid duties — such as boarding passengers, security screening, pre-flight checks, delays, and travel between hotels and airports — when calculating wages.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents 20,000 flight attendants at the country’s biggest airlines, says excluding these responsibilities makes employees’ earnings seem higher than they really are and hides cases where some junior attendants may effectively earn less than minimum wage.

READ MORE: CUPE disappointed with arbitration outcome for Air Canada flight attendants

Air Canada said its review found no cases of flight attendants being paid below minimum wage, while WestJet acknowledged a few instances where pay fell short and said it plans to address them, the Canadian Press found.

Both airlines use a “credit hour” pay system that combines flight time and other duties into one rate of pay.

The dispute stems from a federal investigation launched after labour tensions and strike action in August 2025 over allegations of unpaid work in the airline industry.

The union is now calling on the government to clearly define what counts as paid work under federal labour rules.

In response, Hajdu directed her department to investigate whether workers in the sector were earning less than the federally mandated minimum wage.

Initial findings from the first phase of the review, released in February, uncovered little indication that unpaid work was common across the industry.

However, investigators identified potential concerns involving part-time and entry-level flight attendants that warranted further examination.

At the time, Hajdu said the federal government required additional data before reaching a final conclusion on the matter.

"The report identifies areas where compensation practices warrant closer examination. The findings underscore the need for further examination," said Hajdu in a statement. 

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