Air Canada flight attendants picketing at 4 major airports on national day of action

TORONTO — Air Canada flight attendants are expected to picket at airports in four major Canadian cities on Monday in what their union is calling a national day of action.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees says demonstrations are expected to take place at Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Vancouver International Airport and Calgary International Airport, all at 1 p.m. ET.

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CUPE says it is looking to raise awareness about what it calls “poverty wages” and unpaid labour when working on a plane when it’s not in the air.

CUPE says the Air Canada component of the union was set to return to bargaining talks with the airline on Friday after its members voted 99.7 per cent in favour of a strike mandate.

The vote, which wrapped last Tuesday, means flight attendants could possibly walk off the job as soon as Aug. 16 at 12:01 a.m. with at least 72 hours’ notice provided.

The two sides have been in contract talks since the beginning of the year and the strike mandate comes after the airline and union concluded a conciliation process without reaching a deal.

In a statement released last Tuesday, Air Canada said it believes there’s still time to get a deal done and avoid interrupting the plans of thousands of travellers.

The airline also said it’s “determined to reach a fair and equitable collective agreement that recognizes the contributions of its flight attendants and supports the competitiveness and long-term growth of the company.”

The negotiations concern flight attendants working for Air Canada’s main operations, as well as for Air Canada Rouge.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 11, 2025.

The Canadian Press