The Air Canada flight attendants union is furious about the carrier improving its product. They say that better premium seats and service on their Rouge subsidiary violates their contract.
Rouge is Air Canada’s lower-cost carrier meant to provide service on leisure routes. And if it starts offering a similar product to Air Canada’s mainline offering, they’re worried about scope issues – it should be their higher-paid members working the flights.
Air Canada’s flight attendant contract places two relevant limits on what they can do with Rouge.
- Rouge narrowbody forward-cabin seats cannot be wider, have more pitch, or recline more than mainline narrowbody Business Class seats.
- Rouge forward-cabin onboard service cannot exceed mainline international Premium Economy service.
The union is complaining about Air Canada transferring 737 MAX 8s to Rouge, but these just have the same busienss class seats (akin to U.S. domestic first). They aren’t wider, with more pitch, or greater recline than a mainline narrowbody business seat. They literally are a mainline narrowbody business seat.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees asserts a breach of their agreement, and says that “early observations suggest” service limits may not be respected. But they’re not serving more extensive meals on Rouge than in international premium economy, either.
Rouge is moving much closer to mainline for up front service but that’s not “exceeds international Premium Economy.” Both products receive complimentary meals, beverages and entertainment. Air Canada may be “blurring the lines” but that’s not a contract violation.
Ironically, CUPE represents flight attendants at both Air Canada mainline and Rouge, yet the union has fought to limit the amount of Rouge flying. The union and airline went through bargaining that started in December 2024, reached a strike and lockout crisis in August 2025, and ended with wages in arbitration. That award was issued, binding and final – and the union says well short of what they wanted.
(HT: Paddle Your Own Kanoo)
Flight attendants should never have been allowed to unionize.
air canada soon to be merged into one of major us airlines when it become the 51st state
When Canada is liberated the flight attendant unions must be dismantled.
This is a ridiculously stupid anti-labor headline and article. Let me summarize the issue for you:
1. Flight attendants agree to a contract with Air Canada that specifies higher pay on mainline flights with higher service levels and lower pay on Rouge leisure flights with lower service levels. Air Canada agrees as well and says they won’t change the terms of the deal.
2. Air Canada decides it wants to increase service levels on Rouge flights after all. But of course not pay flight attendants more.
3. Flight attendants point out that this likely violates their contract and want to be paid more if Rouge starts offering service comparable to mainline flights.
It’s really not that hard to understand.
@bill – this does not plausibly violate their contract.
@Bill – I guess reading comprehension isn’t your strength. As Gary quoted in the agreement they can’t EXCEED mainline standards with respect to either issue. However, equal doesn’t exceed. Sorry you are wrong you union shill
Unions as a theroy served a purpose many years ago. But like cancer are damaging America. It chockes off innovation and individualism. If someone wants collectivism, then go to a country that was founded on these principles. Bad employees, just like management, should be fired.
They didn’t clear the front pocket before you boarded, or?
I’d never drink that much liquid, even out in the desert for a full day.
Unions are scum. No change there.
@Bill
This is a ridiculously stupid pro-union comment and misreading of the facts in the article. Let me summarize the issue for you:
Read Gary’s points, dispure any factual errors.
Unions fight for living wages and workers’ rights. They’ve contributed more to society than the scum posting here who are against them.
@O’Hare etc, etc, etc.
Unions have contribted to more job losses, people on welfare, and reduced job growth.
Disappointed to see this unnecessarily inflammatory and misleading headline. Rogue agents get paid less than mainline Air Canada staff. Seniority doesn’t even carry over between the two. The claim is that AC has to pay Rogue agents less because they make less revenue on the inferior Rogue seats. If that changes, Rogue FA compensation should change in lockstep. Pretty simple stuff.
Listen all you ignorant anti union idiots. Unions are a bedrock of democracy and are just as relevant now as they were in the past. Just because you work for a company doesn’t mean they can abuse you while making profit off your labour. Think about who does all the work.
Anti union people should be slotted into working conditions that don’t include advancements and benefits introduced by unions.
Ok yeah Air Canada is garbage, everyone knows that.
Miserable employees are a product of miserable management.
Corporate management is usually made up of scum, but with AC it’s next level.
Air Canada had to pick up the game with Rouge because they were charging Mainland prices on major routes and people were fed up and they were boycotting the airline. I for one refused to fly Rouge and until I see a significant Improvement in the comfort of the seats and the food I will never set foot on a Rouge aircraft again. It would be one thing if they charged 50% of what they charge on Main Line but they don’t. They charge the exact same price and I can’t stand being gouged by Air Canada or Rouge or whatever the hell they want to call themselves. Overall they’re not a great Airline so I always look for alternative certainly internationally.
Late to the party. Oof.
@bill gets it. Unions built the middle class. Canada has better worker and consumer protections than the US. Never perfect, but gotta keep fighting the good fight.
On the other hand: @Walter Barry, @Michael Mainello… nice “theroy” /s
When Canada is annexed as the 51st state, Air Canada will be given a choice of Spirit or Frontier as their new “partner”. Then they’ll see some real seat pitches and “friendly” Americans in then.
As a AC frequent flyer, Rouge has been the bane of my existence. If AC considers a flight to be appropriate for Rouge, it cancels mainline service on that route. I would happily pay C$200 each way to avoid flying on the “old Rouge.” As I get older, I try hard to avoid planes where my seat is less than 30″ pitch.
Sounds like AC and the unions entered into a contract in good faith, and then AC used that effort to screw the employees. The original conditions of service, the core of wage standards, was radically changed after the contracts were signed. Courts will decide if this was deliberately done, or just happenstance. In any case, the FAs now have to work under different conditions than what they, in good faith, initially agreed to.
Arguments about seat measurements and calories are red herrings. The fundamental aspects of service have shifted to a higher standard, which deserves more pay.
Those wishing poverty and hardship for fellow humans, to the sole benefit of corporations, need to reflect on what their values are.
@Mash333 “the FAs now have to work under different conditions than what they, in good faith, initially agreed to.”
Actually, no, the flight attendants are complaining about the conditions on planes where they *do not* work.
Sounds like AC and the unions entered into a contract in good faith, and then AC acted in a manner consitent with the agreed upon contract. The original conditions of service, the core of wage standards, was not changed after the contracts were signed.
Fixed it for you Mash.