New polling conducted by Abacus Data confirms that nearly 9 in 10 Canadians support Air Canada flight attendants’ fight for fair pay – and they want the federal government to back off and let them negotiate it freely and fairly.
- 88% per cent of Canadians believe flight attendants should be paid for all work-related duties including boarding, delays, and safety checks.
- 59% believe the federal government should respect flight attendants’ right to take job action – even if it causes travel disruptions.
- 76% support raising their pay to reflect the important safety role they play.
- 71% support Air Canada matching or exceeding competitor airline pay as Canada’s flagship carrier
- 80% support raising flight attendant pay to meet the rising cost-of-living.
- 59% think Air Canada’s wage increase for junior flight attendants is still too low to live on in major cities, and only 19% think Air Canada’s wage offer is fair.
The survey also confirms the public is tuning in, with 43% saying they are following the process closely.
The survey of 1500 across Canada was conducted on August 14-15 with a weighted sample. Read more here.
Actually being paid for work you’re doing is a pretty easy thing to get behind even for right wingers. It’s the easiest of labour issues. So to answer your question, it’s not so much a coincidence as it is lowest of low hanging fruit.