Air Canada flight crew members have rejected the agreement reached last month; however, flight operations will not be affected.

Air Canada flight attendants have voted against a proposed wage offer in a tentative new contract, leading to the wage dispute being referred to mediation. The strike by the flight attendants, which disrupted the travel plans of approximately 130,000 travelers per day at the peak of the summer travel season, ended on August 19 following the agreement to mediate the wage issue.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents Air Canada flight attendants, had agreed to this process in case the tentative agreement was not ratified. The airline and the union had previously come to an agreement on most terms of the new collective agreement, excluding the wage issue.

The vote result was a resounding 99.1% against the proposed wage offer. As a result, the wage portion of the contract has been referred to mediation. If no agreement is reached in mediation, the wage issue will be referred to arbitration. The current status of negotiations regarding other aspects of the contract is unknown.

In a move to expedite the resolution of the wage dispute, CUPE requested the discontinuation of the wage dispute mediation on September 12, 2025, to move the wage component directly into arbitration. However, no immediate walkout by Air Canada flight attendants is expected.

The strike affected 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants and caused significant disruption to flights. Flights will continue to operate without disruption as the parties work towards resolving the wage dispute. It is important to note that no strike or lock-out can be initiated due to the agreement between the parties.

The outcome of mediation or arbitration will determine the final wage offer for Air Canada flight attendants. The public will be updated on the progress of the negotiations as more information becomes available.

Air Canada flight crew members have rejected the agreement reached last month; however, flight operations will not be affected.