Would you work without payment? The question that is behind the Air Canada strike

When Air Canada’s flights left work earlier a week ago, they had one cohesive cry: “Unpaid work is not flying.”

It was a reference to the long -standing practice of the North America’s aviation industry, which does not pay the cabin for the work they do when they are on the ground before the plane is on the move.

Unlike this, some European airlines, industry experts, reported to the BBC, pay the cabin crew on a monthly basis, not by hours.

Payment structure surprised Canadian leaflets, Many of which supported bright workers, one poll ordered by the union.

A short strike took place during the peak summer season of travel, but the flights resumed after both parties agreed to the previous transaction on Tuesday.

The proposed agreement reached by the Canadian Union for civil servants (Cupe) and Air Canada was not fully released, but those who are familiar with its content reports that it includes payment for a few years and, first of all, partial payment for landing responsibilities and safe checks before you will fly out.

Experts say the victories provided by the Air Canada Cabin crew can help secure the new standard for aviation workers on the continent.

The Union called it “historical” earlier this week, announcing the unpaid work “on”.

But the media reports that many flight attendants, which still have to vote for the approval of the deal, remain dissatisfied. It is unclear whether the transactions have enough support, Reuters reports.

Air Canada flights were not alone, and they did not pay for the industry calling for “ground work”.

The cab for other Canadian airlines Air Transat and Westjet do not have a payout under their compensation structure. Also, the US United Airlines are not stewarding, although contracting negotiations are currently ongoing.

John Steak, Business Professor and Aviation Expert at McGill University in Montreal, said the introduction for Air Canada workers could cause a “tsunami” that soon sweeps all major airlines in North America.

For decades, this practice has been justified on the basis that it is easier to track the clock when the plane leaves the gate and the land, he said. It is harder to include the time of landing that may vary depending on the delay and the number of passengers.

To mitigate this, the airlines have risen to the hourly payment of the cab, although many claim that the total salary is still low, especially for those who live in major, expensive cities in North America.

Air Canada stated that last year half of its “major flight attendants” earned more than $ 54,000 ($ 39,000; 29,000 pounds), some of the older employees earned more than $ 70,000.

The numbers were a little different for Air Canada Rouge, the carrier’s wings.

One long -time Air Canada flight attendant, Leslie Wulaver, told the local news output Halifax Examiner, which calculated what did about 40 hours unpaid work per month.

This figure is similar to what nearly 10,000 flight flight attendants have been reported A poll made by Cupe in late December 2022. At that time, Wesley Leski, the president of the union’s airline, called the unpaid work “dirty secret in this field”.

The younger flights were most affected, Mrs. Vulaver told Examiner Halifax, as they usually work with shorter flights.

Relationships to earnings on the ground began to change after the Covid-19 pandemic, which brought new rules around the disguise on the planes and changed a lot as the cockpit prepares the plane for takeoff.

Stephen Tuffs, Professor and Experts at York University at Toronto, stated that “increased passenger passengers exerted a lot of pressure on the flight attendants” and made them work even more unpaid hours.

“In the end, they said, ‘No. It should change, ”he said.

Delta Airlines headed the accusation in 2022 when it became the first in North America to offer the Cabin crew for the work they did on the ground. US airlines and Alaska Airlines quickly followed.

Once the previous agreement was reached with Air Canada, Airlines Chief Operational Director Mark us, CBC said What the carrier’s cabin crew will now receive “leading industry compensation”.

“The salary for the land is settled. Our flight attendants will be paid during the time on the ground.”

But the future of the transaction remains unclear.

On Friday, Reuters talked to multiple airlines The remaining dissatisfied with the proposed transaction, in particular, referring to wages and how it affects salaries for entry -level workers.

Mr. Forests said the exit that further strikes would be illegal, and that the debate about wages will probably be resolved in arbitration, while other parts of the agreement were moving forward.

Regardless of the results, some form of earnings will probably remain.

With Air Canada, the largest airline in Canada – now jumping over the board, industry observers say the new precedent is set for the world airline.

Air Transat and Westjet have contracts. The professor noted that he believes that the salary for them would be an easy victory for them, because they would want to keep their wages competitive.

Overall, the profit resulting from the Air Canada strike was also recognized as a turning point in Canada due to the union’s refusal to fulfill the work order.

The Federal Government has caused section 107 of the Canadian Labor Code, which has been used to stop work and forced arbitration in recent years.

This time the sympathy of society was largely on the side of bright workers from the emphasis on unpaid work, said Prof.

“It was a master -class talks,” he said.