Air Canada, CUPE talks continue as strike threat looms

The co-founder of AirTrav Inc. says if there is an Air Canada strike, it shouldn't last more than three days. He also says it might take a while to get things back to normal.

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Air Canada agents process passengers at the airport in Halifax on June 10, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

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CTVNews.ca Staff

Date: Sun. Sep. 18 2011 5:44 PM ET

Air Canada and its flight attendants union continued talks on Sunday ahead of a looming strike deadline set for Wednesday.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees, the union representing Air Canada's 6,800 flight attendants, said the airline presented a counter-offer to a proposal CUPE made Saturday.

CUPE said on Saturday that the airline's bargaining position continued to be "unacceptable."

Flight attendants voted overwhelmingly to give CUPE a strike mandate less than a month after they rejected a previous tentative agreement.

Air Canada said that in the event of a strike it would still operate a partial schedule, but the airline is saying there's still plenty of time to reach an agreement.

The deadline to strike is Wednesday morning.

Robert Kokonis, co-founder of airline consulting firm AirTrav Inc., said that he is "cautiously optimistic" a settlement will be reached before then. And if workers do walk off the job, he expects the strike would be short-lived.

"I can't imagine it lasting more than three days," Kokonis told CTV News Channel on Sunday, adding that the carrier's strike in June was ended with back-to-work legislation after just three days.

Most analysts expect the Harper government would move quickly to order an end to a strike that could threaten the country's weakened economic recovery.

Kokonis said travellers should be aware of a possible strike but there are other options including international carriers and other regional operators, such as Jazz.

"Business travellers, they're the ones who have the corporate travel agents and budgets, they can shift things around," he said. "But as far as leisure travellers, who've been saving for that vacation for one or two or three years now, they're the folks who will have a more difficult time."

Jazz will continue to operate regional connector service for Air Canada since its flight attendants operate under a separate contract.

Air Canada and its regional partners carry about 31 million passengers annually to more than 170 destinations on five continents.

With files from The Canadian Press

Comments are now closed for this story

Rosemary L
said
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This is my first time flying Air Canada. if this strike inconveniences me then it is the last time I fly Air Canada. times are tough and we all have to suck it up until the economy is better.....

Dean in Abby
said
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@Fair Deal, big deal. So you work 100 hours a month. Most real jobs work at least 160 or more these days. Also, those of us who actually work hard, have to produce something and if the company doesn't do well, we lose our jobs and the company goes under. We are not spoon fed our nice comfy jobs like you people. I also am a first responder but I don't whine about having to work in a nice dry, temperature controlled workplace. I wish I only had to work 100 hours a month and got paid what you do. Real jobs aren't like that however. Go cry me a river. Perhaps if you were any good at it, Westjet would hire you.

take care of the F/A's
said
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Everyone seems to think flight attendants have some glamourous job. This is not the 80s people, A/C keeps them on a very short leash and treats them very poorly. Until you fly 17 hours to HKG(over 20 hours of straight working) then have to get to their hotel, eat have a couple hours sleep then go back and work another 20 hours then you can talk. And the above description is an EASY flight. Most of the junoir f/a's barely even see home, are in the air or airport everyday and get paid for 80 hours a month! My wife is an f/a and i used to think she had a great job until i did one of those HKG flights with her. I sat on my ass for the whole time and when i got home i crashed instantly. I know there are some pretty bad f/a's but the majority provide good service under a difficult enviroment. They are there to save your life, god for bid something happens to the plane. And a/c f/a's are some of the most well trained in the world. Treat them with respect the next time your on a flight and remember the person serving you coffee could have been working 4 flights before you even woke up.

John
said
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Nice to know you all think Ac employees are a bunch of whiners.

Realistically, however, AC employees have taken wage cuts, had their pensions plan money taken unknowingly, job security threatened, and watched a revolving door of politicians leave with millions of dollars lining their pockets after only a few years of appointed work at AC.

We stand up for work equality and fairness and the rest of you should also...

AC Customer
said
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I booked a flight two months ago with A/C for my UP COMING vacation, now I am told I may not be able to go due to this strike. Well here is what I have to say, I will be at the airport and I will be getting on the flight I PAID for. We as tax payers bailed out this company two years ago to keep it from going under and now they want more money when the economy is still so bad. And there are so many people out there with no jobs who would happily do the job for what they are paid now, so suck it up

FAIR DEAL!
said
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I am a first responder, I am a fire fighter, I am a first aider and a care give to the elderly and unacompanied. I don't get paid until the a/c pushes frm the gate, My duty day often exceeds 13 hrs. I now fly 100hrs/mo to make ends meet. Remember that is only flt time frm gate to gate. I was not hired to sell pizza and chocolate bars. I was hired to get you out of a burning a/c, or pound on ur chest should u have a hrt attack, god forbid that should ever happen. Pensions aside, my salary is far frm what was suggested. 2003/ I gave back 18 per cent plus a vac time. A labour dispute is far frm what anyone would have wanted, sometimes u just have to stand up to goliath and say No thank you!

gaspasr
said
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the majority of comments say it all. HIRE people who want this job. HIRE people who are pleasant service employees. I have never seen an AC employee forced to show up to work, but there are many applications pending for those who want to work for AC

Shan SK
said
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AC employees - just remember, a strike only means your customers will be flying WestJet and other airlines. This will put AC one more step clsoer to the grave and you closer to the pogey lines. Think twice before striking. Think very hard.

Jack @ Ottawa
said
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As a flyer on many worldwide international airlines, ,I can honestly state that the Air Canada attendants are a sad , unpleasant and unhappy bunch relative to other airlines. Let's start over with some pleasant employees who are grateful for the job.

Roger Ramjet
said
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A/C Flight attendant strike.- I do not work in the travel industry, nor do I have a related or known party to the strike; but neither does the government of Canada as they privatized this business years ago. There are ample alternates to flying A/C and I say that in terms of treating employees equitably, A/C has not. Sacrifice happens from TOP to Bottom in the business and I recommend that. Mr. Harper, let A/C negotiate in good faith rather than expect your government to act as you typically do, big business telling government what to do and legislating an end to this legal labour dispute

Dean in Abby
said
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I hope it's less than what the first offer was. Also, there should be a clause in there that says the "attendants" should actually be pleasant.

Terry
said
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An A/C strike, will they be missed.??? maybe they should think of the public for a change.Strike or no strike it wont affect me as I dont fly A/C anyway. I want value for my money.

John Alves
said
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As an Air Canada very frequent flyer I say fire them all and start fresh with individuals who actually might enjoy their jobs. The inflight experience is so inconsistent. Air Canada offers a fairly good on board producy but the delivery usually results in a poor experience. This is essentially a group of unskilled labour whose only skill is the safety training that Air Canada provided them with. Step aside you tired old stewardesses and let some young energetic individuals become flight attendants....with the focus on safety and CUSTOMER SERVICE

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