-

CUPE : Flight attendants will rally to end unpaid work to Parliament Hill

OTTAWA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Flight attendants from across Canada represented by CUPE will descend on Parliament Hill on Tuesday, September 16 to call on Ottawa to finally act to end unpaid work in Canada’s airline industry.

The recent labour dispute at Air Canada centred around the airline’s abuse of unpaid work and put the issue into the spotlight. Industry-wide in Canada, flight attendants work on average 35 hours every month for free, performing vital safety-related duties including pre-flight safety checks, attending to onboard emergencies, assisting passengers with additional needs, boarding, deplaning, and delays.

“Unpaid work is a systemic issue requiring a systemic solution,” said Wesley Lesosky, President of CUPE’s Airline Division representing 20,000 flight attendants at 11 airlines in Canada. “Flight attendants should not have to negotiate - or go on strike - for a right that every other Canadian already enjoys: to be paid for their time at work. The federal government must act without delay to end this abusive practice in our industry.”

WHEN: September 16, 12:00 p.m. -2:00 p.m. EDT

WHERE: East Lawn, Parliament Hill

WHO: Wesley Lesosky, President, CUPE Airline Division
Alia Hussain, President, CUPE 8125 (WestJet)
Mark Hancock, National President, CUPE
Don Davies, Interim NDP Leader

Contacts

Nathalie Garceau, CUPE Communications
ngarceau@cupe.ca
514-594-2747

Industry:

Canadian Union of Public Employees

Release Versions
EnglishFrench

Contacts

Nathalie Garceau, CUPE Communications
ngarceau@cupe.ca
514-594-2747

More News From Canadian Union of Public Employees

Town of Grand Falls-Windsor Terminates Local 1349 President for Participating in Elections

Grand Falls-Windsor, NL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CUPE Newfoundland and Labrador President Sherry Hillier is calling out the town of Grand Falls-Windsor today for terminating a long-standing employee for executing her right as a Canadian taxpayer to participate in local elections. This move follows the local issuing their notice to bargain. “Every citizen of Grand Falls-Windsor has the right to participate in and comment on local elections. Working for the town doesn’t suddenly take away that right,” s...

UCP fails Deborah Onwu, care workers

EDMONTON, AB--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With the fall session of the Alberta Legislature set to end next week, it’s obvious that the United Conservative government will not be bringing in legislation called for in the judicial inquiry into a Calgary care worker’s death. In October 2019, Deborah Onwu, an employee of Woods Homes Society, was stabbed 19 times while working alone with Brandon Newman – then a resident of the society. Newman had complex needs, a history of violence, and assorted cognitive and...

MEDIA ADVISORY: Long Term Care Workers Hold Information Picket in Sydney on Friday

SYDNEY, NS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Long term care workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) will hold an information picket outside the Mayflower Mall in Sydney on Friday. They are gathering to raise awareness for bargaining, which aims to bring a nearly two-year expired contract up to date, and ask for support from the members of the public. WHAT: Demonstration and information picket WHEN: December 5, 2025, from 2 PM to 4 PM WHERE: 800 Grand Lake Road, Sydney (map) WHO: Lo...
Back to Newsroom