Air Canada flights coming in and out of Prince George won’t be affected by a potential strike by flight attendants, but connecting flights in larger centres could, according to a media release issued on Wednesday, Aug. 6.
Prince George Airport reported that the Air Canada flights operated under its Jazz subsidiary have flight attendants who are members of a different union and contract than those who recently approved a strike mandate.
On Tuesday, Aug. 5, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) announced that the more than 10,000 flight attendants it represents had voted 99.7 per cent in favour of strike action after months of negotiations with Air Canada.
“A strike vote is a necessary precursor for legal job action but does not necessarily mean that Air Canada flight attendants will be going on strike,” a media release from CUPE said.
“Since 2000, inflation has increased 169 per cent and average full-time wages have increased 210% in Canada. But entry-level Air Canada flight attendants’ wages have increased only 10 per cent — just $3 per hour — in the past 25 years.”
For its part, Air Canada acknowledged the results of the vote and also said it wouldn’t necessarily lead to a strike in its own media release.
“Air Canada remains committed to the bargaining process and is eager to resume discussions, which CUPE had suspended during the vote. Air Canada is determined to reach a fair and equitable collective agreement that recognizes the contributions of its flight attendants and supports the competitiveness and long-term growth of the company,” the company said.
“Air Canada firmly believes that there is more than enough time to reach such an agreement and avoid disrupting the plans of hundreds of thousands of travellers. The 21-day cool off period expires at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Saturday, Aug. 16, meaning no job action can take place before that time at the earliest.”
While the flights to Prince George will continue as normal, the airport stated that passengers’ connecting flights with Air Canada or Air Canada Rouge at other airports could be delayed or even cancelled.
“While we (YXS) are not involved in airline labour negotiations, we recognize that situations like this can create uncertainty for travellers,” said Prince George Airport Authority president and CEO Geoff Ritchie. “We’re encouraging passengers to stay informed and prepare for possible changes.”
The airport recommends that passengers should consider checking their flight status with the airline before they leave for the airport, check to see what airline their connecting flights are with, consider travel insurance that could compensate them for disruptions caused by labour delays, consider booking refundable tickets and allow for extra time in case of itinerary changes.
