Stop unpaid work: NDP’s Zarrillo to table bill in support of Canada's flight attendants

OTTAWA— On Monday, NDP MP Bonita Zarrillo will table a bill to end unpaid work for Canada’s flight attendants.

Flight attendants—80 per cent of which are women—are working an average of 35 hours per month unpaid. All while airline CEOs continue to rake in millions of dollars off of unpaid labour. If passed, Zarrillo’s bill will ensure unpaid work for flight attendants is no longer an accepted norm and when they are on the job in uniform and taking responsibility for the safety and well-being of their passengers, they will be properly paid for their work. Whether they’re doing pre-flight work, helping passenger get on or off the aircraft, or working during a flight delay, every hour worked will be an hour paid.

“No one should ever be forced to work for free. But under the watch of Liberals and Conservatives, Canada’s flight attendants have been exploited by extremely profitable airlines, and this must stop now. Can you imagine being told that you have to arrive at 6 a.m., but they won’t start to pay you until your flight is off the ground after 9 a.m - it doesn’t make sense,” said Zarrillo. “Everyone should be paid for their labour so they can afford rent, buy groceries, send their kids to school and take care of their family, but these flight attendants are forced to work for free because of loopholes benefiting airline CEOs.

“I invite all parliamentarians to end this injustice and make sure workers get paid for their work. It’s simple, when flight attendants are working, they must be paid in full.”

Standing with Zarrillo in support of her bill on Monday were representatives from the Airline Division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), President of CUPE 4070, Alia Hussain, President of CUPE Local 4094, Carolyn Bugnon, President of CUPE Local CUPE 4091, Natasha Stea and president of CUPE Local 4055 Rena Kisfalvi.

"Canada's flight attendants have been sounding the alarm about the abuse of unpaid work in our industry, and we applaud the NDP for answering the call with this legislation," said Wesley Lesosky, an Air Canada flight attendant and President of CUPE's Airline Division. "We're calling on the government and other opposition parties to back this NDP bill that sets the standard for what flight attendants need going forward, and get it passed before the next election."

In parliament, MP Zarrillo and the NDP have continually raised the unfair treatment of flight attendants. Last year, the NDP sponsored a petition from CUPE that received over 17,000 signatures calling for an end to unpaid work in the airline industry, and in February, Bonita grilled the Air Canada’s CEO about the inequality faced by flight attendants.

“New Democrats will always stand up for workers in Canada,” said Zarrillo. “We are Canada’s only workers party and we will always have their backs.”

-30-