Air Canada's Flight Attendants Reject Wage Deal, Seek Mediation

In a decisive move, Air Canada flight attendants rejected a recent wage agreement with a 99.1% vote against the company's proposal. The decision underscores the ongoing wage dispute, with the resolution now expected to shift to mediation due to legal limitations on strike action.

A tentative agreement reached in August had momentarily ended a four-day strike that disrupted flights for half a million passengers. However, both Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees agreed to avoid further labor disruptions, maintaining service continuity.

The disagreement primarily focuses on compensation for ground duties, a topic gaining traction among North American flight attendants. Failure to resolve this during mediation will see the dispute move to arbitration, affecting workers' wages, benefits, and work conditions.