Flight attendants demand compensation for boarding and other duties

Flight attendants are demanding better compensation for their work, with union officials calling for legislative changes to end the “rampant abuse of unpaid work” in the airline industry. Representatives from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents 18,000 flight attendants, held a press conference alongside the NDP to address the issue.

Wesley Lesosky, president of the CUPE air division and a flight attendant himself, highlighted the unfair practices in the industry. He pointed out that flight attendants only start getting paid once the plane is in motion and their compensation ends when the plane stops at the gate after landing. This means that they are not compensated for duties such as overseeing the boarding and unboarding process, resulting in an average of 35 hours of unpaid work per month.

Lesosky emphasized the need for change, stating that many flight attendants are working full-time schedules but making less than $30,000 a year, which he described as “simply unconscionable.” He called on the government to amend the labour code to address the issue of unpaid work and ensure fair compensation for flight attendants.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh expressed his support for the call for labour code reform, emphasizing the importance of addressing this issue. NDP MP Bonita Zarrillo highlighted the fact that most flight attendants are women and stated that “unpaid work won’t fly.”

With union agreements with major airlines like Air Canada and WestJet up for renegotiation next year, flight attendants are pushing for fair compensation without considering a strike at this moment. Lesosky emphasized the importance of bargaining with employers and following the correct course of action to address the issue of unpaid work in the industry.

The push for better compensation for flight attendants comes in the wake of a “National Air Accessibility Summit” held by the federal government to address complaints from Canadians with disabilities about their treatment during flights. Lesosky argued that proper compensation for training and boarding duties will help alleviate these issues, highlighting the need for fair pay structures in the industry.