Air Canada union says flight attendants will continue strike, defy government

Thousands of Air Canada flight attendants walked off the job on Saturday for the first time since 1985, after months of negotiations over a new contract.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees said in a statement that members would remain on strike and invited Air Canada back to the table to “negotiate a fair deal.”

Air Canada and a Canadian government spokesperson were not immediately available for comment.
The country’s largest carrier had said some flights would still be canceled over the next 7-10 days as the schedule stabilizes and returns to normal. It had started cancelling flights on Friday in anticipation of the stoppage.

The Canadian Industrial Relations Board ordered Air Canada to resume operations and all Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flight attendants to return to their duties.

The CIRB was acting on a directive from Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu as the government moved to end the strike and require binding arbitration to break a contract impasse, an action that Air Canada had previously sought from Prime Minister Mark Carney’s minority Liberal government but unionized flight attendants fiercely opposed.

The most contentious issue in the contract negotiations has been the union’s demand for compensation for time spent on the ground between flights and when helping passengers board. Attendants are now largely paid only when their plane is moving.

CUPE had pushed for a negotiated solution, saying binding arbitration would take pressure off the airline.

Air Canada said on Sunday that the CIRB had ordered the terms of the collective agreement between the union and the airline that expired on March 31 be extended until a new agreement can be reached.

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