Collective bargaining has officially begun between Unifor and Air Canada, with negotiations covering customer service agents working at airports and call centres across the country.

Unifor confirmed that bargaining opened on behalf of nearly 6,000 members of Unifor Local 2002 employed by Air Canada nationwide. The group includes airport customer service agents, contact centre employees and staff supporting customer relations and customer journey management.

The current collective agreement between Air Canada and Unifor Local 2002 is set to expire Feb. 28, 2026.

“Air Canada’s customer service agents are the backbone of the passenger experience,” said Lana Payne, Unifor national president. “They manage delays, disruptions, and customer care under immense pressure, yet too often without the staffing and protections that reflect the value of their work. This bargaining round is about respect, safety, and fairness for the workers who keep Canada flying.”

Customer service agents represented by Unifor perform a wide range of operational and frontline roles, assisting passengers at airports, through contact centres and via Aeroplan. Their responsibilities include ticketing, reservations, itinerary changes, reward travel support and helping customers navigate online transactions.

During flight delays and cancellations, these employees play a central role in recovery efforts, managing rebooking, connections, accommodations, compensation and customer correspondence. They are often the first point of contact for travellers when disruptions occur and are key to restoring passenger confidence following service interruptions.

“Our members are the people travellers rely on when flights are cancelled, connections are missed, or plans fall apart,” said Tammy Moore, president of Unifor Local 2002.

“They deserve improved wages, predictable schedules, and working conditions that allow them to do their jobs properly. Air Canada must recognize that strong customer service starts with respecting the workers who deliver it.”

Unifor has consistently called for broader reforms across Canada’s aviation sector through its Air Transportation Workers’ Charter of Rights. The charter urges governments, airlines and airport authorities to address long-standing issues, including chronic understaffing, contracting out, unsafe workloads and inadequate training.

Unifor is Canada’s largest private-sector union, representing approximately 320,000 workers across multiple industries nationwide.

Source: Travelweek