The courageous and tenacious fight by CUPE flight attendants to end unpaid work took centre stage at an international gathering of public sector union leaders mobilizing to defend and advance our rights.
CUPE National Secretary-Treasurer Candace Rennick shared the story of how Air Canada and WestJet flight attendants built unstoppable campaigns to win major breakthroughs on unpaid work. She spoke on a panel during Public Services International’s global fightback conference taking place in Madrid.
Rennick described the wall of resistance that disarmed the federal government’s attack on Air Canada flight attendants’ right to strike. Years of preparation led to striking flight attendants resisting government and court orders to return to work, backed by the power of Canada’s largest union.
“The Unpaid Work Won’t Fly campaign built a message that resonated far beyond our membership and helped secure public support for the fight. That support was critical,” said Rennick.
“It was the strength of the campaign – and the public understanding it had built – that allowed our members to keep fighting.”
Resisting federal intervention in collective bargaining pushed the government to act differently when WestJet flight attendants went on strike last summer.
“This time, the federal government let collective bargaining do what collective bargaining is supposed to do,” said Rennick.
Using their collective power, WestJet flight attendants won a contract that makes major strides to end unpaid work over the life of the collective agreement.
She urged conference participants to keep fighting back – and moving forward to break new ground.
“When we combine strong demands with a powerful campaign, organized members, a clear message, and public support, we don’t just defend what workers have. We win more.”
