Air Transat Flight Attendants Urge Minister Hajdu to End Unpaid Work
by Catherine Maisonneuve
Air Transat posted positive Q3 results.
Air Transat flight attendants have called on Federal Employment Minister Patty Hajdu to go beyond public statements and enact legislation to end the issue of unpaid work for all.
Their union sent a letter to Minister Hajdu urging her to resolve the issue once and for all.
“Your recent statement that ‘no one should work for free in this country’ has renewed hope for thousands of flight attendants across Canada,” wrote Marie-Hélène Nadeau, President of the Air Transat component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).
The letter was sent shortly after Air Canada reached an agreement with its flight attendants.
“We’re trying to explore other avenues to push things forward, to take advantage of the momentum and the media spotlight from the Air Canada situation to have our work recognized and compensated going forward,” explained Ms. Nadeau in an interview.
Air Transat’s 2,000 flight attendants are members of CUPE, as are Air Canada’s 10,000 flight attendants, whose recent labour dispute has made headlines. A key issue in that dispute was the matter of unpaid tasks required of flight attendants.
On August 19, following the tentative agreement reached with Air Canada’s flight attendants’ union, Employment and Families Minister Patty Hajdu announced the launch of an investigation into unpaid work in the airline industry.
“Flight attendants play a vital role in ensuring the safety of passengers and airline crews during their travels. They deserve to be fairly compensated and treated with respect at all times. The Government of Canada is aware of the concerning allegations regarding the working conditions and pay of federally regulated flight attendants. The government is committed to protecting workers and promoting fair and productive workplaces,” the announcement said.
