Summary
- Air Transat flight attendants reject proposed contract, potentially resulting in a strike. Tentative agreement was not ratified.
- Flight attendants are unhappy with low pay and lack of boarding pay. Similar issues raised by other airline attendants.
- Canadian labor law allows for easier strike motion in comparison with the US. Air Transat plans to accommodate travelers if strike occurs.
Air Transat, a leisure airline based out of Montreal and Canada’s third-largest airline, has just had its flight attendants vote to reject a proposed contract. As such, the flight attendants’ union can file to strike starting on Friday under Canadian labor law, but each side wish to return to negotiations.
Tentative agreement rejected
Air Transat management and its 2,100 flight attendants, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), announced on January 2 that the flight attendants didn’t ratify the tentative agreement. Pay increases at 18% over five years were on offer to interchange a contract that expired October 31, 2022.
Nonetheless, in accordance with PAX News, 98.1% of voting flight attendants – 87% of the electorate – rejected the proposed contract. The indisputable fact that many flight attendants work two or three jobs and are paid on a scale that starts at $26,577 annually is a looming issue.
Photo: CUPE Airline Division
One other issue looming large in negotiations is the flight attendant request for boarding pay – or pay for the critical work of boarding passengers on the gate. At most airlines, cabin crew are only paid once the aircraft door closes. As CUPE Airline Division President Wesley Lesosky explained in a November 27 statement,
“The starting salary for a flight attendant at Air Transat is $26,000 a yr; how can these staff take care of themselves and their family members on that type of income in major cities like Toronto and Montreal? The short answer is: they’ll’t, and it’s only made worse by the indisputable fact that airlines like Air Transat don’t pay flight attendants for a median of 35 hours every month while they perform vital duties like boarding and pre-flight safety checks.”
These issues are eerily just like ones raised by Alaska Airlines and American Airlines flight attendants on the 2023 picket lines taxiing down the legal process to take off for a strike against their airlines’ management.
Canadian labor law is more permissive of strike motion
One should note that, unlike in america with the Railway Labor Act, all Canadian aviation employees need to do to strike is vote to authorize a strike and provides 72-hour notice after the vote is within the affirmative – after an attempt at conciliation/mediation. There are just a few off-ramps if the Canadian government seeks to make use of certain tools, reminiscent of referring matters to the Canada Industrial Relations Board and even back-to-work laws.
Matters got here very near a strike with WestJet vs. its pilots, but an agreement was reached, and in accordance with multiple WestJet MEC PIREP Podcasts, matters are being worked on more amicably.
Air Transat management response
Air Transat on their website shared their plan if there may be a proper strike notice;
“Within the event of a proper strike notice filed by the union and the next cancellation of certain flights, Air Transat will meet all its obligations as a carrier to accommodate its travelers. This may include the offer of a brand new ticket on a next available flight or that of a partner airline if such an option exists inside 48 hours of the unique departure time, or the refund of any unused portion of the trip. For individuals who have booked a package and are at destination and whose stay could also be prolonged, Transat will cover any additional costs incurred.”
Photo: EQRoy | Shutterstock
Moreover, in a January 2 statement, Air Transat’s Julie Lamontagne, Chief People, Sustainability and Communications Officer, shared these thoughts;
“We had reached a tentative agreement negotiated in good faith, which met the interests of each parties. We’re disillusioned by this final result, as we were confident that the tentative agreement could be accepted by the vast majority of our flight attendants. We’re returning to the bargaining table, and our objective stays to search out common ground as soon as possible.”
Bottom line
Although Air Transat’s flight attendants didn’t ratify a tentative agreement, each side wish to keep negotiating. Nonetheless, if the union decided to call a strike or management desired to call a lockout – 72 hours’ notice should be given.
What are your thoughts? Please share within the comments.