Air Canada
BOD vs CUPE

Committee Description

Air Canada BOD vs CUPE:

From August 16th-19th, 2025, 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants led by the Canadian Union of Public Employees went on strike, seeking fair wages for their work. Over 3,200 flights were cancelled leaving 500,000 passengers stranded globally. The series of events that unfolded were questionable, including CUPE’s refusal to abide by the federal government’s demand for arbitration.

A clash between social and economic classes, delegates will be split into the boardroom of Air Canada and CUPE. They must navigate political tensions, pressure from the public, and shareholder interests. The entire fate of union regulations is in their hands, it is up to them to lead the path forward for Canada.

Background Guide

Topics of Debate

Topic A: Balancing Financial Interests With Worker Welfare

Air Canada is a publicly traded company that must serve the financial interests of its shareholders. At the same time, CUPE is a union there to protect workers, ensuring that companies do not exploit employees without fair compensation. Delegates on both sides of the committee must negotiate, navigating how to increase profitability while considering equitable worker welfare and wages. Without a settlement the committee, and Canada, will be stuck at a stalemate, and everyone will suffer the consequences. So what will you choose, compromise or conflict?

Topic B: Corporate Responsibility for Stranded Passengers and Compensation Standards

Canada has watched two heavyweights trade blows, but the true victims are the stranded passengers worldwide. These passengers have been an unfortunate “collateral damage” of the crisis. With no way home, hundreds of thousands have paid out of their pockets for unforeseen travel expenses, bringing forth seemingly irreparable damage. But they deserve their justice, and someone must serve it. The question is who. Will it be CUPE, Air Canada, the government, or someone else? Delegates must answer this question, ensuring that the financial burden does not fall upon those already disregarded.