“We’re at a breaking point”: AC flight attendants set stage for negotiations

Air Canada’s flight attendants have launched a PR offensive as they enter negotiations that highlight grievances around salary, working conditions and scheduling.

As reported by the Financial Post, one of the main concerns raised by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents more than 10,000 members who have been working under the same collective agreement for a decade, is that attendants are compensated only for time spent in the air – yet they also complete tasks before and after flights.

This includes boarding passengers, assisting travellers with disabilities, conducting safety checks and managing luggage.

According to the union, flight attendants are working an average of 35 hours per month without compensation for the above duties, which are mandated by Transport Canada.

“No other worker would be expected to show up for work and not get paid for it. This is a significant concern for our members,” Wesley Lesosky, president of the Air Canada Component of CUPE, told the Financial Post.

To raise awareness of the issue, CUPE has launched a public campaign, including TV ads and a recent pop-up installation in Toronto’s Queen West neighbourhood, which displayed exaggerated portrayals of unpaid work and corporate policies.

CUPE also has concerns about wages. Starting salaries at Air Canada are reported to be $27,000 annually, a figure that Lesosky deems insufficient for workers in a professional career

The starting hourly wage of approximately $30 per hour, and the fact that flight attendants are only paid for time in-flight, leaves many, junior staff, earning less than minimum wage once unpaid duties are factored in, the union argues.

As workers, we’re at a breaking point,” said Lesosky in a statement last month. “We know how frustrating flying with Air Canada can be for everyone, and we want people to know we’re right there with them - often unpaid.”

Since negotiations with Air Canada started on Dec. 11, CUPE has been focused on reaching a deal without resorting to a strike.

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