When over 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants walked off the job, the airline and union told two very different stories – proving just how powerful a resonating narrative can be in shaping public opinion.
Air Canada’s narrative: this was an “illegal strike” that defied labour law, disrupted passengers, and required government intervention.
The union’s narrative: this was about ending "unpaid work" – time on the ground when flight attendants board planes, help passengers, and ensure safety, but aren’t compensated.
One message leaned on rules and authority. The other spoke to fairness and everyday experience.
Guess which one resonated?
For the public, “illegal strike” felt abstract, even cold, especially as 130,000 travellers a day were stranded.
By contrast, “unpaid work” was universal. Every Canadian understands what it means to give your time and not get paid. In a cost-of-living crisis, that message hit home.
The outcome reflected the PR dynamics as much as the bargaining table. Flight attendants secured a deal that included boarding pay, while Air Canada was left looking out of touch with its own frontline workforce.
In high-stakes labour disputes, the narrative isn’t won by legal arguments or percentages, it’s won by framing the issue in human terms.
Air Canada fought over legality. The union fought over fairness. And in the eyes of the public, fairness won.
