The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) stands in full solidarity with the 5,400 Air Canada flight attendants represented by the Air Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE who have been forced to issue a strike notice due to their employer's refusal to address fundamental workplace fairness issues.
This labour dispute represents more than just a contract negotiation – it's about the basic principle that workers should be paid for all the time they spend on the job. For too long, Air Canada flight attendants have performed unpaid work, a practice that undermines the dignity of work and sets a dangerous precedent across all sectors of the Canadian economy.
The stark reality that union locals have had to establish food banks in their own offices for junior flight attendants who cannot afford groceries exposes the human cost of corporate greed. No worker in Canada should face the choice between paying rent and buying food, especially while performing essential safety duties that protect the travelling public.
Air Canada's response to reasonable proposals for fair wages and compensation for all work performed reveals a troubling pattern. Rather than engaging in good-faith bargaining, the company has chosen to refuse to pay workers for all time spent on duty, offered wage increases that don't even match inflation, and appealed to the federal government to strip workers of their Charter-protected right to collective action.
This corporate strategy of using government intervention to avoid bargaining responsibilities threatens the fundamental rights of all Canadian workers, including PIPSC members across the federal public service.
The issues at stake in this dispute extend far beyond the airline industry. When employers can avoid paying for all work performed and rely on government intervention to suppress collective bargaining rights, it weakens the position of workers across all sectors.
As public service professionals, PIPSC members understand the importance of essential services and fair compensation for the skilled work we perform. We recognize these same principles in the fight of Air Canada flight attendants, who ensure passenger safety while facing poverty-level wages.
PIPSC proudly stands with our sisters and brothers at CUPE in their fight for workplace justice. Their struggle is our struggle, and their victory strengthens the labour movement for all working Canadians.
Until negotiations between CUPE and Air Canada are resolved, PIPSC members and staff should be advised that:
- no further travel bookings will be made with Air Canada for PIPSC members or staff travel
- existing bookings with Air Canada may proceed as planned
- a finance administrator may contact you to provide an alternative booking for your existing Air Canada travel itinerary
- any PIPSC members who are contractually required to report to work at an airport with a picket line should request their manager to provide safe passage through it