In a major development, Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing over 10,000 flight attendants, have reached a tentative agreement—bringing an end to the multi-day strike.
As always, specific terms of the settlement will stay under wraps until flight attendants have the chance to thoroughly review the proposal and cast their votes on acceptance or rejection. What’s clear is that this deal was hammered out directly between Air Canada management and its flight attendants through their union, underscoring the power of collective bargaining when it happens at the bargaining table.
It’s worth remembering how this came about: despite two back-to-work orders issued by the Canada Industrial Relations Board—after the federal government invoked Section 107—flight attendants persisted in withholding their labour. Within 24 hours, that worker-led action brought the company back to bargain and produced a tentative settlement. Had the strike been cut short by enforced legislation, this dispute could have dragged on much longer.
The lesson is clear: when workers stand firm together, they can achieve meaningful change—even in the face of legal and political pressure. Sometimes the fastest path to resolution isn’t government interference, but letting workers use their greatest strength: the right to strike.