Striking airline staff persist in their action, disregarding the government decree, and demanding fresh negotiations.
Air Canada's cabin crew, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), have been on strike since August 17, 2025. The strike, which was declared unlawful by the Liberal government, has caused significant disruptions to Air Canada's operations.
Strike Background and Resolution
The strike was initiated after a 99.7% vote in favor of striking by the flight attendants. Despite the back-to-work order, the union defied the order and the strike continued. However, following significant disruptions, Air Canada and CUPE reached a mediated settlement on August 19, 2025. This settlement led to the immediate return to work of about 10,000 flight attendants, allowing Air Canada to gradually resume operations.
Current Status and Future Negotiations
Air Canada has restarted its operations, aiming to stabilize its schedule over several days. Customers are advised to anticipate potential flight cancellations as the airline works to restore full service. Flight attendants are scheduled to vote on the tentative agreement from August 27 to September 6, 2025. If they reject the deal, they cannot legally strike again during this period, but it would extend negotiations.
Demands and Implications
The main issue in the strike is the flight attendants' demands for higher wages and compensation for ground duties, such as boarding passengers. Currently, Air Canada's flight attendants are only paid for the time the aircraft is in motion, but they are seeking compensation that begins with passenger boarding. The strike has resulted in significant flight cancellations, affecting about 130,000 passengers daily and leading to substantial financial losses for Air Canada.
Customer Support
Air Canada has offered customers the option to change their flights free of charge for travel between August 20 and September 30, 2025. The airline has also expanded its reimbursement policy to cover reasonable expenses for affected passengers.
The strike by Air Canada's cabin crew is the first such strike since 1985. If the agreement is rejected in the upcoming vote, it could lead to prolonged talks and potentially more disruptions down the line. It's important to note that the strike is ongoing, and negotiations between the union and Air Canada are still in progress.
In the U.S., flight attendants at American Airlines and Alaska Airlines have recently secured agreements for compensation that begins with passenger boarding. The entire Air Canada fleet remained grounded early Monday morning.
[1] Air Canada and CUPE reach a mediated settlement (Global News, 2025) [2] Air Canada strike causes chaos for passengers (CBC News, 2025) [3] Air Canada offers customers free flight changes amid strike (CTV News, 2025) [4] What happens if Air Canada flight attendants reject the tentative deal? (The Globe and Mail, 2025)
The mediated settlement reached between Air Canada and CUPE on August 19, 2025, includes discussions about vocational training for flight attendants as part of the community policy, in an effort to improve their skills and contribute to a more efficient workforce. In the aerospace industry, potential financial implications for Air Canada, as well as the business sector, could be significant if the tentative agreement is rejected in the upcoming vote and negotiations extend further.
