The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing over 10,000 Air Canada cabin crew, has given the airline a 72-hour deadline to reach a pay agreement or face a strike, hours after the carrier sought federal government intervention.
According to Reuters, the strike is scheduled to begin at about 1 a.m. ET on Saturday. Earlier this month, 99.7% of union members voted in favour of industrial action.
The airline, which has warned of potential flight disruptions, declared a deadlock in negotiations on Tuesday after the union rejected its proposal for binding arbitration. Air Canada’s offer included a 38% increase in total compensation over four years, with a 25% raise in the first year.
However, the union dismissed the proposal as “below inflation, below market value, below minimum wage – and still leaves flight attendants unpaid for all hours of work.” Like most carriers, Air Canada compensates crew only for time spent in flight, but cabin staff in North America are increasingly demanding pay for all hours worked, including boarding and waiting periods at airports.
Air Canada also issued a lockout notice on Wednesday, set to take effect 32 minutes after the planned strike begins.
