Air Canada resuming flights after Ottawa forces binding arbitration with flight attendants
Air Canada says it plans to resume flights today after the federal government stepped in and ordered binding arbitration to end a flight attendants' strike Saturday.
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The Montreal-based airline says the first flights will resume this evening, but that it will take several days before its operations return to normal.
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Air Canada says it has been directed by the Canada Industrial Relations Board to resume operations and have flight attendants continue their duties by 2 p.m. ET.
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Air Canada said on Sunday that the CIRB has ordered the terms of the collective agreement between the union and the airline that expired on March 31 be extended until a new agreement is reached.
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The Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents the flight attendants, has accused federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu of caving to Air Canada's demands.
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Air Canada had previously asked Hajdu to order the parties to enter a binding arbitration process. But intervention was something she resisted until Saturday, when she said it became clear the two sides were at an impasse.
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CUPE maintained it opposed arbitration, instead preferring to solve the impasse through bargaining.
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The union accused Air Canada of refusing to bargain in good faith due to the likelihood of the government stepping in and imposing arbitration.
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The union has said its main sticking points revolve around wages that have been outpaced by inflation during its previous 10-year contract, along with unpaid labour when planes aren't in the air.
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CUPE announced it is calling a national day of action and will have demonstrators outside of the Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary airports this morning.
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The Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants, announced its members were heading to the picket lines after being unable to reach an eleventh-hour deal with the airline, while Air Canada locked out its agents about 30 minutes later due to the strike action.
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More than 700 Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights were cancelled amid the work stoppage, the airline said.
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Flights by Air Canada Express, operated by third-party airlines Jazz and PAL, were not affected.
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