Air Canada flight attendants have decisively voted against a tentative wage agreement with the airline. The vote concluded on Saturday afternoon, with 99.1 percent of participants rejecting the proposal. Despite the rejection, flights will continue to operate as scheduled.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents over 10,000 flight attendants for Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, announced the results shortly after the voting period ended. The union stated that the wage negotiations will now proceed to mediation, and potentially arbitration, but confirmed that there will be no strike or lockout at this time.

In a statement, Air Canada expressed its commitment to the mediation and arbitration process. "The negotiations period has been challenging for all Air Canada stakeholders. We deeply appreciate the patience and the confidence our customers have shown as we worked through this process," the airline said.

The tentative agreement was reached on August 19, following a three-day strike that affected tens of thousands of passengers globally. The proposed contract included a 12 percent salary increase for most junior flight attendants and an eight percent raise for more senior staff, with additional smaller increases planned for subsequent years.

CUPE argued that the wage offer was insufficient, stating that flight attendants would still earn less than the federal minimum wage. The union emphasized that while most terms of the agreement would remain, the wage issue is now the primary focus of the ongoing negotiations.

This situation continues to develop as both parties work towards a resolution.