Flight attendants went on strike after Air Canada gave wage increases to certain employees, including pilots with a 26% rise in 2024, a mostly male-filed role according to CUPE. In contrast, the union said that flight attendants, who are mainly women, received a lower 8% increase in 2025.

For decades, many flight attendants in North America weren’t paid for ground work. The Air Canada strike marks a shift.

Air Canada and the union representing 10,000 flight attendants resumed talks late Monday for the first time since the strike began over the weekend. The strike is affecting about 130,000 travelers a day at the peak of the summer travel season.