Air Canada says that the union representing its 10,000 flight attendants has asked to dispense with the mediation process over the parties’ tentative labour agreement and have the wage component proceed directly to arbitration – a request the airline has accepted “in a spirit of cooperation.”
Ther airline and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) reached the four-year deal agreement in August – which was categorically rejected in a ratification vote by union members, though it included improvements to wages, pensions and benefits, while also including a mutually agreed-to modernization of compensation for work performed on the ground.
In contemplating the potential outcome of not ratifying the tentative agreement, the parties mutually agreed that the wage portion would be referred to mediation and, if no agreement was reached at that stage, it would continue to the arbitration process previously ordered by the Canada Industrial Relations Board.
The parties also agreed that no labour disruption could be initiated, and therefore flights will continue to operate as normal.
Air Canada says that on Sept. 12, CUPE asked to dispense with the mediation process and have the wage component proceed directly to arbitration.
In accepting the request, the company says it “remains committed to the entirety of the process (which will) provide cabin crew with wage increases and their retro pay, dating back to April 2025, as soon as possible.”
If this article was shared with you by a friend or colleague, you may enjoy receiving your own copy of Travel Industry Today with the latest travel news and reviews each weekday morning. It’s absolutely free – just CLICK HERE.