Fellow Flight Attendants and Conservative Leader Poilievre Express Support for Air Canada Flight Attendants

As Air Canada Flight Attendants prepare to take part in a “Nationwide Day of Action” Monday at airports across the country, they can do so knowing they have the support of colleagues from multiple Canadian airlines and the Conservative Party of Canada.

In posts on the Facebook group Air Canada Component of CUPE, flight attendant unions for WestJet, Sunwing, Air Transat and Flair as well as the ALPA (Air Canada Pilots Association) and Conservative party leader Pierre Poilievre, took to the page to express their support.

“As fellow flight attendants, we understand what you’re fighting for because we live it too,” Marie-Helene Nadeau, President, CUPE Air Transat Component wrote. “Your stand resonates far beyond your own bargaining table. We stand beside you. We stand behind you. And we will rise with you.”

“This fight is about more than ending the archaic and unjust practice of unpaid work,” wrote Alla Hussain, President CUPE Local 8125 who represents WestJet, WestJet Encore and Sunwing cabin personnel. “Your struggle is our struggle. Standing together is both a demonstration of unity and a clear message to the industry that flight attendants across Canada will no longer accept being underpaid, undervalued or left behind.”

“We call on Air Canada to engage in good faith with its flight attendants and their union to address these concerns promptly,” wrote Reenisha Raju, President CUPE 4060, Flair Airlines. “This practice is not only unjust – it is unsustainable.”

In a letter to The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre wrote, “I urge your government to update the Labour Code to ensure flight attendants are paid for every minute they’re required to be at work, from check-in to sign-off. These professionals play a vital role in our transportation system and deserve compensation that reflects the full scope of their responsibilities.”

“We stand by our flight attendants and support their efforts towards achieving a fair contract,” Air Canada pilots said in a post.

In press release announcing today’s airport protests last week, CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) said it will impact airports in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary.

“This is not a strike, this is a day of Action,” stated an email from the union to its members. “We need all members to show up in unified support of your bargaining team and to push for a Fair Deal at the table,” the email continued.

“Flight attendants are asking Air Canada to recognize the key elements of the negotiation, including non-working hours and poverty wages that are no longer consistent with the economic reality of 2025,” another union statement said.

Last week, CUPE members voted 99.7% in favour of a strike mandate. With at least 72 hours’ notice provided, flight attendants could potentially walk off the job as early as August 16.