Air Canada faces the threat of a mid-August work stoppage after roughly 10,000 flight attendants voted 99.7% in favour of a strike mandate. Under federal rules, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) could call a strike as early as 12:01 a.m. ET on Aug. 16, provided it gives 72-hours notice. Talks are slated to restart on Friday, and a person familiar with the negotiations said the carrier has tabled an offer worth more than a 30% wage increase over four years. The union, however, is pressing for compensation for duties that are currently unpaid—such as boarding, pre-flight safety checks and ground-time between flights—citing recent gains by U.S. flight-attendant groups. Both Air Canada and CUPE say they prefer a negotiated settlement and are optimistic a deal can be reached in time to avert disruptions. The airline has not detailed contingency plans, but stated it believes there is "more than enough time" to avoid grounding flights, while the union warns that morale among cabin crews is at "an all-time low" without progress on wages and working conditions.