Federal intervention in potential Air Canada strike would be ‘troubling': labour prof
The airline has requested government-directed arbitration through Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, however Ottawa has not indicated whether it will intervene.
The move comes as roughly 10,000 flight attendants for Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge are poised to strike Saturday around 1 a.m., with the company also planning to lock them out if an eleventh-hour deal can't be reached.
In a statement Thursday morning, federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu acknowledged Air Canada's request, adding she has asked the union to respond to it while urging both sides to return to the bargaining table.
Brock University labour professor Larry Savage says Air Canada is using its lockout notice 'as a pressure point on the prime minister,' as the Mark Carney-led Liberal government faces its first major work stoppage of federally regulated employees.
While Savage says there is 'a long tradition' in Canada of government intervention in labour disputes, he calls the increasing reliance on minister-directed action 'troublesome.'
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2025.
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Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Were you planning to fly Air Canada? What you need to know about the strike
Air Canada flights are cancelled after thousands of flight attendants began a strike early Saturday morning. The company says the work stoppage means all Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights would be cancelled amid the work stoppage. Around 130,000 customers will be affected each day that the strike continues. For summer travellers worried about what this means for their plans, here's what you need to know. Has a strike started? Yes. More than 10,000 flight attendants working for Air Canada have walked off the job. The Air Canada component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees said the two sides were unable to reach a deal before the 12:58 a.m. ET deadline on Saturday. Will all Air Canada flights be cancelled? The work stoppage affects Air Canada's main operations and Air Canada Rouge. Air Canada began a gradual suspension of flights in advance of the strike deadline to allow an orderly shutdown leading up to Saturday. More than 600 flights were cancelled affecting 100,100 customers. Flight attendants working for Jazz and PAL, which operate Air Canada Express flights, are not part of the strike. Flights under those banners will continue to operate as normal. What should I know about my upcoming flight? Air Canada has said it will notify customers via email and text message if their flights have been cancelled. The airline has said passengers whose flights are cancelled will be offered a full refund or the opportunity to change their travel plans without a fee. The company also said it has made arrangements with other Canadian and foreign carriers to provide customers with alternative travel options to the extent possible. That includes passengers whose itineraries change mid-journey. 'However, given other carriers are already very full due to the summer travel peak, securing such capacity will take time and, in many cases, will not be immediately possible,' it said. Air Canada said it strongly advises affected customers not to go to the airport unless they have a confirmed ticket on an airline other than Air Canada or Air Canada Rouge. For customers due to travel soon whose flights are not yet cancelled, Air Canada said it will allow them to rebook their travel or obtain a credit for future travel. The airline has cautioned that under Canada's Airline Passenger Protection Regulations, customers are not eligible for compensation for delayed or cancelled flights, meals, hotels for situations outside the carrier's control, such as a strike or lockout. How did we get here? The two sides have been in contract talks since the start of the year, but concluded a conciliation process without reaching a deal. On July 28, the union's strike mandate vote kicked off. It wrapped Aug. 5, with CUPE announcing its members voted 99.7 per cent in favour of a strike mandate. At first, both sides seemed optimistic they could avoid a work stoppage despite the strong strike mandate. They returned to the bargaining table on Aug. 8. But on Tuesday, Air Canada said it had reached an 'impasse' in negotiations with the union as the two sides were 'far apart' on key issues. The union told its members that the company 'decided they no longer want to negotiate.' CUPE rejected a proposal by Air Canada to enter a binding arbitration process. That would have suspended the union's right to strike, as well as Air Canada's right to lock out union members. While Air Canada argued there was precedent to go that route, CUPE said it preferred to negotiate a contract that its members could then vote on. The union issued a strike notice hours after talks broke down, while Air Canada issued a 72-hour lockout notice. The parties weren't able to reach a deal in the days that followed as both accused one another of not wanting to negotiate. Air Canada has requested government-directed arbitration to end the dispute, however Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu has not said whether Ottawa will oblige. What is this dispute all about? The union has said its main sticking points revolve around what it calls flight attendants' 'poverty wages' and unpaid labour when planes aren't in the air. It told members it has put forward a proposal seeking cost of living enhancements each year, with a catch-up 'to where we should be at for 2025.' CUPE said entry-level Air Canada flight attendants' wages have increased 10 per cent, or $3 per hour, over the past 25 years, which has been far outpaced by inflation. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. It also said flight attendants are not paid 'for a significant portion of their time on the job,' such as when performing safety checks, attending to onboard medical and safety emergencies, and assisting passengers with boarding and deplaning. Air Canada said its latest offer included 38 per cent total compensation increases over four years, including 25 per cent in the first year. It said that proposal also addressed the issue of ground pay, improved pensions and benefits, increased crew rest and other enhancements to work-life balance. The airline said that offer would make its flight attendants the best compensated in Canada. But it said the union submitted a counter-offer 'seeking exorbitant increases beyond those presented in earlier submissions.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 16, 2025. Companies in this story: (TSX:AC)
National Post
an hour ago
- National Post
Air Canada-CUPE Negotiations End in Impasse
TORONTO — Negotiations between CUPE and Air Canada have ended in impasse. Article content Air Canada still refuses to compensate flight attendants for all hours worked. Article content The union has been firm: all safety-related duties should be paid at full hourly rate. Air Canada does not agree. Article content On wages, Air Canada's last offer will still leave flight attendants living below poverty levels for many years to come. Article content We are heartbroken for our passengers. We do not want to go on strike, and we do not want to be locked out, but it is clear that Air Canada has no incentive to bargain. Article content Rather, Air Canada has refused to bargain in good faith due to the likelihood of the federal government using Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to interfere in negotiations and have a contract imposed by an outside third-party arbitrator. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Hugh Pouliot CUPE Media Relations (EN) hpouliot@ 613-818-0067 Article content Article content
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
CTV National News: Battle over wages continues as strike officially begins
Watch Kamil Karamali has the latest on where negotiations between Air Canada and the union representing its flight attendants stand.
