MONTREAL, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Air Canada ( ACDVF ) flight

attendants have voted 99.7% in favor of strike action if

necessary, their union said on Tuesday, in a move that could

allow them to walk off the job as early as this month.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees said in a statement

that it could give a 72-hour strike notice as early as August

16, after negotiators hit an impasse with the airline in July.

A strike vote is a precursor for legal job action but does

not necessarily mean that the flight attendants will go on

strike.