Air Canada and the union representing 10,000 of its flight attendants resumed talks over the weekend in an attempt to avoid a strike that could potentially begin next week. The flight attendants can potentially walk off the job as soon as Aug. 16 at 12:01 a.m. with at least 72 hours’ notice provided.
Last Tuesday, the Air Canada component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees voted 99.7% in favour of a strike mandate.
The airline says it is not yet considering flight cancellations or postponements as it is focused on reaching a deal before then, while cautioning that a strike mandate vote is “a normal step in the negotiation process.”
CUPE says it is also optimistic it can avoid a work stoppage, but it first wants to see how Air Canada responds to its proposals for higher wages and the elimination of unpaid labour.
The two sides have been in contract talks since the start of the year, with the strike mandate vote coming after the airline and union concluded a conciliation process without reaching a deal.
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