-

CUPE: Air Canada is Reinforcing the Gender Wage Gap – And They Want the Government to Help Them Do It

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Air Canada wants to reinforce the gender wage gap by forcing Air Canada flight attendants – 70% of whom identify as women – to accept a wage offer less than one-third what Air Canada offered its pilots less than a year ago.

“Air Canada’s male-dominated workforce received a significant cost-of-living wage increase. Why not the flight attendants, who are 70% women?” said Natasha Stea, President of CUPE 4091 representing Air Canada flight attendants based in Montreal.

In 2024, Air Canada gave pilots – a male-dominated profession – a 26% wage increase in year one of their new contract.

However, in 2025, Air Canada is offering flight attendants just 8% in year one of their new contract, and just a 17.2% wage increase overall over the life of a four-year deal.

Air Canada gave pilots a better wage increase in on year than flight attendants will get over the entire life of their four-year contract if Air Canada gets its way.

Now, Air Canada has threatened to lock out Air Canada flight attendants, calling flight attendant wage proposals “exorbitant” – and they want Employment Minister Patty Hajdu to impose a deal on flight attendants through forced arbitration.

Since 2015, compensation growth for female-dominated occupations in the airline industry has fallen flat while wages and compensation for pilots and maintenance personnel have increased by 31% and 14%. Air Canada wants the federal government to help them keep the trend alive. 

Contacts

Hugh Pouliot
CUPE Media Relations
613-818-0067
hpouliot@cupe.ca

Industry:

Canadian Union of Public Employees

Release Versions
EnglishFrench

Contacts

Hugh Pouliot
CUPE Media Relations
613-818-0067
hpouliot@cupe.ca

More News From Canadian Union of Public Employees

Support Our Seniors, Protect Hours of Work! CUPE Members Rally Outside Sienna Senior Living's Head Office to Defend Hours of Work from Employer Cuts

MARKHAM, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sienna Senior living is one of Canada’s most profitable Long Term Care providers. They operate homes across the country, benefiting from government subsidies and other public investments. Despite the recently announced $4.9 billion investment from the Ontario government to help with staffing and retention for PSWs, Sienna has made the regrettable decision to cut 1,300 full time hours from their schedule at the Case Manor facility in Bobcaygeon, in violation of...

Tentative Agreement Reached Between CUPE 1698 and the Fraser Valley Regional Library

ABBOTSFORD--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CUPE 1698 and the Fraser Valley Regional Library (FVRL) reached a tentative agreement earlier today, preventing a lockout that would have shut down library services across the region. “Our members know how important library services are to the communities we serve. We’re relieved we’ve been able reach a tentative agreement so that families, newcomers, seniors, students and community members across the Fraser Valley can continue to access services without any interru...

Nurses, PSWs among 55 layoffs at Bruyere Health – CUPE blames Ford government for underfunding, to hold press conference on March 9

OTTAWA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hampered by major funding cuts by the provincial government, Bruyere Health is laying off 55 frontline staff including 46 personal support workers and nine nurses, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees. Douglas Currier, a registered practical nurse and president of CUPE 4540, said he was shocked to hear about the layoffs as patient care is already compromised due to threadbare staffing. “It’s mind-boggling to hear about job cuts at our hospital when care is alread...
Back to Newsroom