Air Canada flight attendants overwhelmingly reject wage offer

In Canada, approximately 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada participated in a voting process regarding a tentative new contract on Saturday. The flight attendants overwhelmingly rejected the airline's wage offer, with a staggering 99.1% voting against it. This rejection was a result of dissatisfaction with the proposed terms that were agreed upon between the airline and the union just a month prior. Despite the vote against the wage offer, Air Canada assured that operations would continue uninterrupted. The rejection of the wage proposal was not entirely unforeseen. Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) had anticipated the possibility of this outcome. In preparation for such an event, both parties had mutually agreed that if the tentative agreement was not ratified, the wage portion would be referred to mediation. This decision reflects a commitment to maintaining dialogue and finding a resolution without resorting to strikes or lockouts. Furthermore, the airline indicated that even though the wage issue remains unresolved and is now headed towards mediation, most terms from the tentative agreement will still stand. This means that while wage negotiations will take place separately, operational aspects of the agreement will remain intact and flights will continue. The airline remains optimistic about resolving the wage dispute without significant disruptions to its services. In conclusion, while the overwhelming rejection of the wage offer signals tension between the flight attendants and the airline, measures have been put in place to ensure continued operations. The mediation process is now crucial as both parties aim to reach an agreement that satisfies the concerns of the flight attendants while allowing Air Canada to maintain its operations effectively. The outcome of this mediation will be closely watched by both staff and passengers alike.