Air Canada cancels flights for 100,000 passengers ahead of possible strike
Canada's largest carrier said in a social media post that the operational wind-down due to the impending industrial action led to 623 flight cancellations, impacting 100,100 passengers as of 0000 GMT (8am Hong Kong time) on Friday, hours before a threatened strike on Saturday.
The union representing Air Canada's 10,000 flight attendants urged the minority Liberal government of Prime Minister Mark Carney not to agree to the carrier's request to impose binding arbitration on both sides.
The union said imposing arbitration would stop the first strike by Air Canada flight attendants since 1985, after contract talks between the two sides stalled over demands for higher wages and compensation for unpaid work.
'The mere prospect of ministerial intervention has had a chilling effect on Air Canada's obligation to bargain in good faith,' said the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
Patty Hajdu, Canada's Minister of Jobs and Families, met Air Canada and the union, urging both parties to 'work harder' to reach an agreement.
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