Unpaid Work Won’t Fly
Learn More About the Movement
The Problem:
WestJet Component members, along with other Canadian Cabin Crew, are facing a critical issue: the demand for unpaid work. This includes tasks like:
Pre-flight safety checks: Ensuring the aircraft is safe for passengers before takeoff – a crucial safety responsibility.
Passenger boarding and deplaning assistance: Assisting passengers with luggage, wheelchairs, and other needs.
Dealing with passenger issues: Addressing passenger concerns, resolving disputes, and maintaining a safe and comfortable environment on the ground.
Extensive training: Ongoing training and re-certification to maintain safety standards and passenger service excellence.
Why This Matters:
Safety: Unpaid work can lead to fatigue and stress, potentially impacting safety standards.
Fairness: Flight attendants are professionals who deserve to be compensated fairly for all their work.
Respect: Demanding unpaid work shows a lack of respect for the valuable contributions of these essential workers.
What We're Doing:
Preparing to Negotiate: CUPE 8125 is gearing up to negotiate with WestJet management as our current contract expires on December 31, 2025. We are committed to fighting for fair compensation for all work-related activities in our next contract.
Public Awareness Campaign: We are raising public awareness about the issue of unpaid work in the airline industry together with the ACDP through media campaigns, social media outreach, and more.
Political Advocacy: We are advocating for legislative changes at the federal level to prohibit unpaid work in the airline sector.
What You Can Do:
Support Our Campaign: Share this page and information about the issue with your colleagues, friends, and family.
Contact Your MP: Urge your elected officials to support legislation that protects workers' rights and prohibits unpaid work. Complete the form on the Unpaid Work Won’t Fly website.
Stay Informed:
Visit the Unpaid Work Won’t Fly website (Site web FR)
Together, we can ensure that unpaid work won't fly.
Timeline:
(last updated 04/28/2026)
July 2022
Paid Boarding Secured for Pascan Aviation Crew
Pascan Aviation cabin crew, represented by CUPE Local 5490, secured a contract that includes full pay for boarding, ground duties, and training. This agreement ensures that flight attendants are compensated at their full hourly rate for all work-related activities, marking a significant victory for the union in the fight against unpaid labor in the aviation industry.
Source: CUPE National Newsroom
April 2023
CUPE Launches "Unpaid Work Won't Fly" Campaign
CUPE launched the “Unpaid Work Won’t Fly” campaign, a national effort to end the widespread abuse of unpaid work in the airline sector. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the issue and culminated in a National Day of Action on April 25, with events held in major cities across Canada.
May 2024
CUPE and NDP Demand Legislative Action on Unpaid Work
CUPE, representing 18,000 flight attendants, held a press conference alongside NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh to demand legislative changes to end unpaid work in the airline industry. They highlighted that flight attendants perform an average of 35 hours of unpaid work per month, including overseeing boarding and deplaning processes.
Source: NDP News Caucus
June 2024
Bill C-409 Introduced: Fairness for Flight Attendants Act
Conservative MP Lianne Rood introduced Bill C-409, the “Fairness for Flight Attendants Act,” to the House of Commons. This bill aims to ensure that cabin crew receive fair compensation for all work-related activities, including pre- and post-flight duties, mandatory training, and delays. While this initiative marks a significant step forward, it is important to note that CUPE was not consulted during its development.
Update As the 44th Parliament dissolved on January 6, 2025, Bill C-409 did not pass into law and is now considered defunct. For it to become law, it would need to be reintroduced in a new Parliament.
Source: Parliament of Canada LegisInfo
October 2024
Bill C-415 Introduced: Flight Attendants' Remuneration Act
NDP MP Bonita Zarrillo introduced Bill C-415, the “Flight Attendants’ Remuneration Act,” to the House of Commons. This bill seeks to amend the Canada Labour Code to ensure that flight attendants are paid for all work-related activities, including pre- and post-flight duties, mandatory training, and delays. This initiative aims to end the exploitation of flight attendants, who can currently work up to 35 hours per month without pay. Notably, this bill has received strong support from CUPE and their “Unpaid Work Won’t Fly” campaign.
Update As the 44th Parliament dissolved on January 6, 2025, Bill C-415 did not pass into law and is now considered defunct. For it to become law, it would need to be reintroduced in a new Parliament.
Source: Parliament of Canada LegisInfo
December 2024
Porter Airlines Announces Partial Boarding Pay
Porter Airlines announced that, starting January 1, 2025, they will begin offering boarding pay to their cabin crew. While this is a notable development in the industry, it is important to highlight that Porter will only compensate their crew at 50% of their regular wage for boarding duties, excluding other ground tasks and delays. Additionally, since Porter’s cabin crew are not unionized, this move could be seen as an attempt by the airline to dissuade unionization efforts.
Source: Toronto Star Business
December 2024
Air Canada Union Launches "Unfair Canada" Campaign
Air Canada flight attendants, represented by CUPE, launched the “Unfair Canada” campaign to combat unpaid work. This national campaign includes interactive pop-up experiences in major cities like Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto, where visitors can learn about the challenges flight attendants face, such as working unpaid hours during boarding, deplaning, and safety checks. The campaign aims to raise public awareness and pressure Air Canada to provide fair compensation for all work-related activities. Visitors to the pop-ups can also send emails to Air Canada executives, demanding proper pay for flight attendants.
Source: Unfair Canada Campaign Site
March 2025
CUPE's Airline Division Pushes Parties for Pledge on Unpaid Work
As the possibility of a federal election loomed, CUPE's Airline Division, representing 18,500 flight attendants across Canada, called on all federal party leaders to pledge to reintroduce legislation banning unpaid work if elected. They specifically asked leaders to commit to reintroducing Bill C-415. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Green Party Co-leader Elizabeth May signed the pledge. Leaders of the Conservative Party and the Bloc Québécois did not respond, and Liberal Leader Mark Carney's office acknowledged receipt but did not sign.
Source: CUPE Airline Division Bulletins
April 2025
NDP and Greens Pledge to End Unpaid Work
Following up on their pledge, the NDP and Green Party reiterated their commitment to introduce legislation to ban unpaid work for flight attendants in the next Parliament. CUPE highlighted the importance of knowing which parties support their fight as advance polls were set to open for a potential election.
Source: CUPE Airline Division Bulletins
May 2025
Air Canada Flight Attendant Union Files for Conciliation (Focus on Unpaid Work)
The Air Canada Component of CUPE, representing 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, announced that they have filed for conciliation with the federal Minister of Labour. This action was taken due to an impasse in contract negotiations with the airline. The union's top priority is fair compensation and an end to unpaid work, which they have been addressing through their "Unfair Canada" campaign (launched in December 2024). CUPE states that entry-level Air Canada flight attendants earn as little as $1,951.30 per month for full-time work, making it unsustainable. They are also seeking improvements in scheduling, safety, fatigue provisions, retirement security, and working conditions.
Source: CBC News
August 11, 2025
Air Canada Flight Attendants Vote 99.7% in Favour of Strike
The Air Canada Component of CUPE announced the result of its strike vote: an overwhelming 99.7% of members voted in favour of job action. This near-unanimous mandate, driven by the push for fair wages and an end to unpaid work, finalized the union's readiness to take a strike against the airline.
Source: Labor Notes Report
August 13, 2025
Air Canada Union Issues 72-Hour Strike Notice
CUPE's Air Canada Component issued a statutory 72-hour strike notice to Air Canada, with the strike set to begin on August 16. The airline immediately responded with a 72-hour lockout notice, leading to Air Canada beginning a phased wind-down and mass cancellation of its daily flights.
Source: Global News
August 14, 2025
Porter Airlines Cabin Crew Join CUPE
In a historic move, the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) certified CUPE as the official bargaining agent for approximately 1,200 Porter Airlines cabin crew. This victory brought Porter crew into Canada’s largest flight attendant union, ending the airline's status as a non-union carrier and strengthening the national "Unpaid Work Won't Fly" movement.
Source: CUPE National Official Release
August 16–19, 2025
Air Canada Flight Attendants Go on Strike
The Air Canada Component of CUPE began a three-day strike. The federal government, under Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu, ordered the flight attendants back to work under a controversial labour code provision, which the union openly defied. This historic job action grounded most Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights, affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers.
Source: CBC News
August 18, 2025
Federal Labour Minister launches a fact-finding probe into allegations of unpaid work in the Canadian airline sector
Amidst escalating industry-wide labor tensions, Labour Minister Patty Hajdu officially agreed to launch a formal federal probe into the issue of unpaid work in the airline sector. This commitment was seen as a major breakthrough for the "Unpaid Work Won’t Fly" movement, as the government shifted from a passive stance to an active investigative role.
Update Findings released on Feb 12, 2026. Read more below.
Source: CBC News
August 19, 2025
AC Tentative Agreement Reached, Strike Ends
With the assistance of a federal mediator, CUPE and Air Canada reached a tentative agreement, immediately ending the three-day strike. CUPE announced the deal included a mutually agreed-upon "modernization of compensation for work performed on the ground," representing significant progress in the fight against unpaid work.
Source: CTV News
September 6, 2025
Air Canada Attendants Overwhelmingly Reject Wage Offer
In a ratification vote, Air Canada flight attendants rejected the wage offer portion of the tentative agreement by a massive 99.1%. Due to a prior agreement, the rejection meant the wage issue would be referred to mediation and then binding arbitration, with no new strike action permitted. The union criticized the government for intervening and giving the airline leverage to suppress wages.
Source: Global News
September 16, 2025
WestJet Flight Attendants Serve Notice to Bargain
CUPE 8125, representing WestJet flight attendants, officially served notice to bargain a new collective agreement, with their current contract expiring on December 31. Inspired by the Air Canada dispute, their core demand is fair pay and an end to unpaid work, stating, "Pay us fairly. Pay us for all our time."
Source: CBC News
September 16, 2025
Flight Attendants Rally on Parliament Hill to Demand Action
Hundreds of flight attendants from across Canada, represented by CUPE, rallied on Parliament Hill. They demanded that Minister of Employment Patty Hajdu act immediately to close loopholes in the Canada Labour Code that permit unpaid work in the airline industry, asserting that legislative action is required for a permanent fix to the "systemic issue."
The day was marked by controversy when a small group of flight attendants, wearing "Unpaid Work Won't Fly" t-shirts, were removed from the House of Commons public gallery during Question Period for violating rules against political messaging.
Source: Business Wire Archive
October 21, 2025
Support for Bill C-250: Ending Unpaid Work
CUPE Local 8125, alongside CUPE National, is throwing its full weight behind Bill C-250. This federal legislation aims to amend the Canada Labour Code to ensure that no employee in the federally regulated aviation sector is forced to work for free. Currently, many flight attendants are only paid once the aircraft is in motion, leaving hours of boarding, safety checks, and ground duties unpaid. Bill C-250 is a critical step in making "pay for all time worked" the law of the land.
Source: CUPE: Support Bill C-250
October 28, 2025
Pascan Aviation Cabin Crew on Strike
Flight attendants at Pascan Aviation (CUPE 5490) officially commenced a strike following the employer’s refusal to address industry-standard wages and working conditions. Despite the small size of the unit, the strike represents a significant stand against the "two-tier" compensation models in the regional aviation sector. National leadership continues to call for a fair contract that respects the essential safety role these crew members perform.
Update Mar 2026:CUPE 5490’s flight attendants have been holding the line since October 28, 2025, in their fight for a fair second collective agreement that includes wages reflective of the vital work they do. This employer has not hesitated to use replacement workers despite new federal anti-scab legislation, undermining our members as they are forced to defend their bargaining rights before the CIRB.
November 5, 2025
CUPE Launches "UltraExtraBasic" Campaign Against WestJet
CUPE 8125, representing WestJet flight attendants, launched a bold public campaign and website, UltraExtraBasic.ca. A play on WestJet’s "UltraBasic" fare structure, the campaign highlights the lack of pay for mandatory safety and security duties, arguing that while WestJet "strips frills" from passengers, it is also stripping fair compensation from employees.
December 2025
Federal Probe's Expected Completion
While the federal government’s formal investigation into unpaid work concluded its stakeholder outreach and roundtable phase in late 2025, no formal update has been provided to the public. Despite Minister Patty Hajdu’s earlier commitments to publish a "What We Heard" report by year-end to inform potential changes to the Canada Labour Code, flight attendants across the industry are still waiting for the results of the probe and subsequent government action.
Update Findings released on Feb 12, 2026. Read more below.
December 31, 2025
WestJet Mainline Collective Agreement Officially Expired
The collective agreement for WestJet Mainline flight attendants (CA1) expired. Under the "statutory freeze" provisions of the Canada Labour Code, all current terms and conditions remain in place while CUPE 8125 and WestJet continue to bargain. This keeps crews in a legal working position as they push for a deal that ends unpaid work.
January 2026
Porter Negotiations Begin for First Collective Agreement
Following their successful unionization, Porter cabin crew have officially entered negotiations for their first-ever collective agreement. A primary goal of these talks is to formalize and expand upon "boarding pay" to ensure it covers all ground duties at full wages, mirroring the industry-wide push for total compensation for every minute worked.
Source: CBC Business News
February 12, 2026
Federal Probe Results Released
The long-awaited federal probe into airline compensation was published. While it acknowledged concerns for entry-level pay, the union viewed the results as "underwhelming" and criticized the report for having "blind faith" in airline credit systems that still fail to account for every minute worked.
Source: CUPE National Newsroom
April 2, 2026
WestJet Encore Flight Attendants Issue Notice to Bargain
WestJet Encore flight attendants officially issued their notice to bargain. This move aligns the regional carrier's crew with the broader national movement targeting the industry-wide standard of unpaid work for boarding and ground delays.
Source: CUPE National Newsroom
April 27, 2026
WestJet Mainline Files Notice of Dispute
After eight months of negotiations, CUPE Local 8125 has filed a Notice of Dispute with the Federal Minister of Labour. Despite the Union's efforts to reach a fair deal, talks reached an impasse as the employer refused to meaningfully address the core issue of unpaid work. This filing triggers the conciliation process under the Canada Labour Code, bringing in a federal mediator to assist in reaching a contract that recognizes all time worked.
Source: CUPE National Newsroom
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