Jazz Aviation flight attendants vote to authorize strike

Flight attendants at Jazz Aviation, which operates many Air Canada Express services, voted to authorize a strike. The Canadian Flight Attendant Union said 97 percent of more than 1,000 eligible members cast ballots, with 99 percent voting in favour. The vote does not automatically start a strike, and the union has not said when one might begin.

Negotiations started in November 2025, before the contract expired at the end of that year. The two sides later brought in a mediator, but the union said they still cannot agree on the most critical issues. Jazz Aviation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The vote follows two other recent labour actions at Canadian carriers. Air Canada flight attendants represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees went on strike for several days in August 2025. In August 2026, about 4,400 WestJet cabin crew also represented by CUPE walked off the job for one day before reaching a contract. In those cases, and in some disputes involving US unions, flight attendants sought pay for boarding time. Hourly pay is usually calculated from when the boarding door closes to when it opens again. Some airlines have said their hourly rates are high enough to account for that time.

The union said before the vote that safety does not begin at take-off or end at landing. It said safety starts with fair working conditions, proper rest, and respect for the flight attendants who are responsible for passenger safety every day. The union added that it remains committed to reaching a negotiated agreement at the bargaining table.