Air Canada Strike Starts Amid Dispute Over Ground Time Pay

Strike unfolds at major airports: Flight attendants represented by CUPE walked off the job at 12:58 a.m. ET on August 16, marking the first significant work stoppage since 1985. Picketers gathered at major hubs including Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver, prompting a near-complete suspension of Air Canada and Rouge flights. Around 130,000 passengers a day are expected to be affected.

What’s fueling the strike: The central issue is compensation for “ground time”, tasks that flight attendants currently perform unpaid, such as boarding, deplaning, or pre-flight checks. CUPE says their research shows approximately 35 hours per month go uncompensated. Air Canada’s proposal of a 38% total compensation increase over four years, paired with 50% ground time pay, was rejected by the union. CUPE insists their offer fails to meet inflation and industry standards.

Operational fallout & attempts at resolution: The airline is cancelling hundreds of flights and advising passengers not to come to airports unless flying with other carriers. Alternative arrangements and refunds are being offered to affected travelers. Meanwhile, the federal Jobs Minister, Patty Hajdu, has initiated binding arbitration via the Canada Industrial Relations Board—an intervention the union opposes, arguing it undercuts the right to strike