Air Canada flight attendants are set to resume negotiations this week with renewed urgency after voting to strike if talks fail. This follows a 99.7% strike mandate vote yesterday by its CUPE component, representing 10,000 flight attendants.

“We’ve been … negotiating since December,” CUPE Air Canada component vice-president Theresa Mitchell told CTV News Wednesday. Discussions regarding wages, unpaid labour, and working conditions remain stalled.

“We are ready … and willing to work,” Mitchell added, noting CUPE and the employer remain divided on key issues.

Among the demands from the union is the discontinuation of the long-standing practice of not compensating flight attendants for duties including boarding, deplaning, and pre-flight safety inspections.

Flight attendants are only paid once doors close and the plane moves, despite federal labour standards. CUPE reports unpaid labour also includes medical and safety emergencies.

“This is an antiquated pay system,” Mitchell said. “We want that to end.”

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The union seeks improved rest and scheduling, especially for long-haul crews, and increased expense allowances due to inflation.

Mitchell stressed the union's desire for a deal to avoid travel disruptions. She stated, “Our members are proud of what they do.… It’s our intention to go back to the table.”

Voting started on July 28 and concluded on Tuesday, following the airline and union's inability to reach an agreement despite conciliation. 

While Tuesday's strong mandate doesn't assure a strike, it shows union members will support a work stoppage if the bargaining team decides to call for one. 

A legal strike could occur as early as August 16 at 12:01 a.m. ET, with the next bargaining session set for this Friday. Air Canada says it cannot be imminent, citing a 21-day cooling-off period after conciliation.

Air Canada spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick stated it's “premature to speculate” on contingencies as they prioritize union negotiations, The Canadian Press reported.

In 2011, a potential strike by Air Canada flight attendants was averted when the government intervened with back-to-work legislation.

Mitchell clarified, “We’d prefer not to take any action” and are that the union is “optimistic” that members will receive “respected and proper working conditions,” though it “may take a little time.”

The airline confirmed on its website its commitment to the bargaining process and eagerness to resume discussions, which CUPE suspended. It aims for “a fair and equitable collective agreement” for its flight attendants.

The union states that flight attendant wages have only increased by 10% in the last decade, despite inflation and rising travel demand.

“What we would like is a wage increase,” Mitchell said, noting “morale is at an all-time low.”