Air Canada flight attendants are continuing their strike despite a government back-to-work order, causing ongoing flight cancellations that have stranded over 100,000 travelers during peak summer travel season. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is defying federal intervention and preparing legal challenges while passengers face extended disruptions.
Approximately 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants walked off the job early Saturday, August 16, 2025, launching what CUPE calls a fight against ‘poverty wages’ and unpaid labor. The strike centers on compensation for pre-flight duties like boarding preparations and safety checks, which attendants currently perform without pay before aircraft doors close.
Within 12 hours of the strike starting, Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu intervened, invoking the Canada Labour Code to order binding arbitration through the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB). Air Canada subsequently announced plans to resume flights Sunday evening if attendants returned to work, but the union rejected the order as unconstitutional.
CUPE President Wesley Lesosky accused the government of enabling ‘unpaid labour’ while Air Canada enjoys ‘sky-high profits,’ noting that 70% of affected attendants are women. The airline had offered a 38% compensation increase and 50% pay for pre-flight work, but union leaders called these inadequate compared to recent pilot raises and inflation.
The disruption has canceled 671+ flights globally, stranding travelers during peak vacation season. Air Canada has suspended operations indefinitely while locking attendants out of airports, advising affected passengers to seek refunds or rebooking options through other carriers where possible.
Gender equity forms a key issue in the dispute, as flight attendants contrast their treatment with Air Canada’s male-dominated pilot group that secured significant raises in 2024. Union representatives emphasize they ‘cannot work for free’ despite sympathy for stranded passengers.
The federal government cites economic pressures from US tariffs as justification for intervention, while labor analysts warn repeated use of back-to-work orders undermines collective bargaining rights. This marks the fourth time in a year Canada’s Liberal government has halted major strikes.
Next steps include CUPE’s constitutional challenge against the back-to-work order in court, while the CIRB prepares binding arbitration. With both sides entrenched, travelers face ongoing uncertainty as the labor dispute threatens to extend through late summer.