DAYS SINCE WE BEGAN THE BARGAINING PROCESS. WE ARE UNITED AND WE WILL MAKE CHANGE.

CUPE welcomes NDP bill to ban unpaid work for flight attendants

Lisa Raymond on October 21, 2025

Flight attendants across Canada represented by CUPE are welcoming new legislation from the federal NDP that will finally make it illegal for airlines to force flight attendants to perform countless hours of work for free every month.

The private members bill, introduced by interim NDP leader Don Davies, would amend the Canada Labour Code to ensure flight attendants are paid at their full negotiated hourly rate, for all duties, including pre-flight, post-flight, and training.

Currently, flight attendants in Canada perform 35 hours of unpaid work every month, on average. Those unpaid duties include vital safety-related tasks during the boarding and deplaning process, as well as pre-flight safety checks and attending to medical and safety emergencies on the ground.

“This is about fairness and respect,” said Natasha Stea, president of CUPE 4091 representing Air Canada flight attendants based in Montreal, who was on hand for the announcement. “For years, flight attendants have been expected to work for free during boarding, delays, and deplaning, all while ensuring passenger safety. It’s time the law caught up with reality: all work deserves to be paid.”

This summer’s historic Air Canada flight attendant strike brought national attention to the issue of unpaid work. Despite being among the most profitable corporations in the country, Air Canada and other major carriers still rely on unpaid labour for essential parts of flight attendants’ duties.

“Workers should not have to negotiate for the right to be paid while they’re at work. It should be the minimum standard and the law of the land,” Stea continued.

“This is not a partisan issue; nine in ten Canadians agree that unpaid work needs to end,” said Stea, calling on all parties to pass the bill into law quickly. “Support this bill, and stand on the right side of history.”

CUPE is Canada’s flight attendant union, representing 20,000 cabin crew at 11 airlines across Canada.

LOU 61 – A330/A321XLR Dedicated (Blocked off) Crew Rest Seats – November 2025 Block Month (November 1st – December 1st, 2025)

Lisa Raymond on October 21, 2025

(This applies to AC Mainline only)

Letter of Understanding 61:  A330 and A321XLR Crew Rest Seats – New Language regarding last sold seats – Effective October 1st, 2025

On A330 and A321XLR non-crew bunk equipped aircraft operating flights which have a scheduled block to block flight time of greater than 7:30 hours but less than 11:30 hours, the Company will dedicate a bank of economy class seats for crew rest purposes. Additionally, on A330 non-crew bunk equipped aircraft operating flights which have a scheduled block to block flight time of greater than 7:30 hours but less than 11:30 hours, the Company will ensure that one additional bank of economy class seats is held as Last Sold Seats. Designated last sold seats will be 48HK on aircraft with Dream cabin configuration and 37HK on aircraft that have been reconfigured to the new cabin.

Cabin Personnel may sleep in the bank of dedicated economy class seats for a maximum of one (1) hour per crew member. The use of these seats to sleep shall not in any way interfere with cabin service.

No more than two (2) Cabin Personnel may sleep at any one time. On the A330 no more than four (4) Cabin Personnel may sleep at any one time when Last Sold Seats are available. The Company shall use best efforts to install a curtain for privacy around dedicated seats which, if installed, must be used by Cabin Personnel when the seats are in use. Signs or makeshift curtains are not permitted.

Letters of Understanding 27 and 28 shall not apply when dedicated crew rest seats have been provided in accordance with the foregoing.

For the block month of November 2025, the following flights fall under LOU 61 and are scheduled for A330 aircraft. They will have 2 (two) dedicated crew rest seats:

– AC808 YYZ-AMS
– AC809 AMS-YYZ
– AC822 YUL-BCN (*December 1 ONLY)
– AC840 YYZ-FRA
– AC841 FRA-YYZ
– AC845 FRA-YUL
– AC865 LHR-YUL
– AC872 YYZ-CDG
– AC873 CDG-YYZ
– AC875 CDG-YUL
– AC876 YUL-LYS
– AC877 LYS-YUL
– AC884 YUL-GVA
– AC885 GVA-YUL
– AC890 YYZ-FCO (*December 1 ONLY)
– AC894 YUL-MXP
– AC895 MXP-YUL

**The service specifications may need to be modified for crew to obtain their full 1-hour contractual break/rest times. In such cases, the SD should submit an eOBR simply stating that the service sequence was modified so that the crew can obtain their contractual break/rest times. Ensure to share this OBR with your local union office. If there is a manager onboard, report this service modification to them.

If you are told anything different in respect to contractual crew rest by an Air Canada manager, please share this information with your local union.

What if these flights operate on B777/787 aircraft?
LOU 61 is specific to the A330/A321XLR aircraft, and not applicable to the B777/787. The B777/787 have crew bunks that may be used for crew rest/break purposes.

For more information on onboard sleep entitlements, please CLICK HERE to see our August 30, 2024, bulletin.

In Solidarity,

Your Component Grievance Committee

CHQ-rouge-25-48 – Checking Out with Crew Scheduling at the End of Every Pairing

Lisa Raymond on October 21, 2025

(For Rouge Members Only)

This bulletin is a follow up to the previous bulletins the Union sent regarding CHQ-rouge-25-48 (Checking Out with Crew Scheduling at the End of Every Pairing). It’s also in response to the employer’s latest communication sent Saturday October 18, 2025.

What is the Union grieving?
As per the Collective Agreement, the only requirement that specifies that Rouge Crew must check out with Crew Scheduling is in Article L55.14.09.10, which is specific to when you are on airport standby.

L55.14.09.10 Employees on Airport Standby must be released by Crew Scheduling.

As there is no Collective Agreement requirement that states you must check out with Crew Scheduling after every pairing; the Union is arguing that members do not need to. In fact, the Union put the Company on notice during bargaining that this would no longer be a practice members would be following.

We want to make it clear, to avoid any confusion, that if you are contacted by Crew Scheduling during your legal duty period and are instructed to call back, you must do so (even if your first opportunity is post duty). Once you start your crew rest and if you have not been previously contacted during your duty period (i.e datalink, voicemail), you would then be on your contractual rest.

Crew Scheduling is also in an open bargaining period with the employer. We know firsthand just how challenging and frustrating that process was and can be for the other groups. Please exercise kindness and professionalism when speaking with schedulers. They are likely feeling pressure from the employer too, so let’s show them support. Always remain professional and let the Union make the arguments via the grievance process.

We have heard from those who have asked about discipline now that we have seen the employer threaten it. It’s incredibly sad to see the employer go down this road when they still have an opportunity to work with the Union in finding a suitable solution that works for both parties. Why should their wants and needs always trump ours?

Know the risks but also know your Union will challenge and support any discipline that could arise.

We understand this is a difficult process and one where you may feel conflicted since striving to do your best is what makes our group so special. Please know we are here should you have any questions or concerns.

As always, govern yourself accordingly,

Your Component Grievance Committee