August 19th, 2025 - Tentative Deal Reached Between Air Canada and Striking Flight Attendants’ Union

The union representing roughly 10,000 striking Air Canada flight attendants announced early Tuesday that it had reached a tentative agreement with the airline, bringing an end to a disruptive walkout that left thousands of travelers stranded across Canada and abroad.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) said the proposed contract would deliver “transformational change for our industry.” The announcement followed days of tension, during which the union defied two back-to-work orders and rejected the federal government’s push for binding arbitration instead of direct negotiations.

“We have reclaimed our voice and our power,” the union told members in a statement. “When our rights were taken away, we stood strong, we fought back — and we secured a tentative agreement that our members can vote on.”

The strike, which began Saturday, saw overwhelming support from flight attendants despite the threat of fines or jail time for ignoring the labor board’s back-to-work orders. Air Canada had warned that the walkout disrupted plans for about half a million travelers, leaving some stuck overseas or in remote Canadian locations.

According to CUPE, the breakthrough came at 4:23 a.m. Eastern time after more than nine hours of talks with the help of a mediator. The union urged members to cooperate with the resumption of flights, while Air Canada said limited service would resume Tuesday evening, with full operations expected within a week to 10 days.

“Our priority now is to get customers moving as quickly as possible,” Air Canada chief executive Michael Rousseau said, calling the service suspension “extremely difficult” for travelers.

While details of the tentative deal remain undisclosed, key issues included pay for pre-flight and post-flight duties — such as boarding passengers and conducting safety checks — and wage increases to keep pace with inflation. The union had long argued that “unpaid work is over,” while Air Canada maintained it was willing to compensate attendants for ground duties, though at a reduced rate.

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster) - Euphemism (noun, YOO-fuh-miz-um) - A euphemism is a mild or pleasant word or phrase that is used instead of one that is unpleasant or offensive.

Example: The HR department advises using the euphemism “let go” instead of saying that someone was fired.