-

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

“Stop the cuts at Bruyere Health:” CUPE to present worker-community petition to hospital management at rally on September 10

OTTAWA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The workers at Bruyere Health have found strong community support in their campaign to stop the degradation of care at their hospital, where 55 frontline jobs are being axed. Over the past few weeks, 1,400 people have signed a petition imploring hospital management to “Stop the Cuts.” On September 10, CUPE 4540 leaders will be holding a rally and presenting a blown-up version of the petition to management. In March, the hospital announced it will be eliminating 9 regist...

UNIONS NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER 

EDMONTON, AB--(BUSINESS WIRE)--“Attacks on working people over the last year show us that Albertans need strong unions now more than ever,” says CUPE Alberta President Raj Uppal. “The annual celebration of Labour Day across Alberta gives us the opportunity to reflect upon and celebrate the working folks who make our province run. “A one-day strike at WestJet last month was enough to show what united workers can achieve. Corporations continue to unfairly rake in record profits on the backs of wo...

“Make a real offer, or pick an arbitrator” - CUPE holds province-wide day of action to call out delays in negotiations with Extendicare

Markham, ON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For months, 8 CUPE locals representing over 1100 Long-Term Care workers across Ontario have been kept waiting for a fair contract. Where other workers would have been able to go on strike to force the employer back to the table, these workers are denied that right under the Hospital Labour Disputes Arbitration Act (HLDAA), forcing them into a long and drawn-out process to get a fair contract. CUPE’s Extendicare Central Table last heard from their employer on June 2...
Back to Newsroom