Air Canada cabin crew strike enters day four as talks resume
The Canadian Union of Public Employees' (CUPE) refusal to follow a federal labor board order for the flight attendants to return to work has created a three-way standoff between the company, workers, and the government. It has also raised the stakes in a dispute that is now closely watched by other labor groups.
The union had met with Air Canada and mediator William Kaplan in Toronto, CUPE said in a statement on Facebook late Monday. The strike is still on, it said.
The two sides had not spoken since before the strike began. A source said there are discussions being held on whether to hold mediation, but with the condition that the flight attendants return to work.
Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu had urged both sides to consider government mediation and raised pressure on Air Canada, promising to investigate allegations of unpaid work in the airline sector, a key complaint of flight attendants who say they are not paid for work on the ground. Flight attendants have for months argued new contracts should include pay for work done on the ground, such as boarding passengers.
Air Canada's CEO in a Reuters interview defended the airline's offer of a 38% boost to flight attendants' total compensation on Monday but acknowledged a big gap with the union's demands and stopped short of offering plans to break the deadlock.
The union has said Air Canada's offer only accounts for 17.2% higher wages over four years.
CUPE's leader said earlier he would risk jail time rather than allow cabin crews to be forced back to work by the labor board, which declared the strike unlawful.
The union says the strike will continue until the carrier negotiates on wages and unpaid work, even after the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) declared the strike unlawful.
Retiree Klaus Hickman missed a flight to Toronto earlier in the week. While he rebooked on another airline, he was concerned about returning to Calgary on time for a connecting flight to Germany.
Hickman sympathizes with workers demanding better pay but is worried about his own health and travel challenges.
"They want to get more money to survive. And so it is with everybody else," he said.
Canada's largest carrier normally carries 130,000 people daily and is part of the global Star Alliance of airlines.
SLEEPING IN AIRPORTS
James Numfor, 38, from Regina, Saskatchewan, has been stranded in Toronto for two nights since returning from Cameroon for his brother's funeral. Air Canada only provided one night in a hotel for his family before leaving them without further support, he said.
"We sleep in the airport ... we find any place comfortable with the kids, they just lay down," Numfor said.
Numfor said passengers feel abandoned in a dispute between management and unions.
The government's options to force an end to the strike include asking courts to enforce the order to return to work and seeking an expedited hearing.
The minority government could also try to pass legislation that would need the support of political rivals and approval in both houses of parliament, which are on break until September 15, but has so far been cautious.
Other labor organizations are voicing support for the flight attendants. Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, Canada's largest labor organization, told Reuters they are ready to join the Air Canada strike if necessary.
"All cards are on the table in terms of what unions are prepared to do to ramp up a fightback campaign," said Bruske, whose organization represents 3 million workers across Canada. Help could include financial contributions to cover legal costs for CUPE, she said.
Air Canada's pilot union, the Air Line Pilots' Association, said it encouraged its members to join the picket lines during their time off.
"Air Canada pilots support our flight attendant colleagues in their ongoing struggle to achieve the fair contract they have earned," it said in a statement. "This is an important moment for organized labor across Canada."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Dubai Eye
4 hours ago
- Dubai Eye
Air Canada to resume service as flight attendants' union end strike
Air Canada's unionised flight attendants have reached an agreement with the country's largest carrier on Tuesday, ending the first strike by its cabin crew in 40 years that had upended travel plans for hundreds of thousands of passengers. The airline said it would gradually resume operations and a full restoration may require a week or more, while the union said it has completed mediation with the airline and its low-cost affiliate Air Canada Rouge. "The Strike has ended. We have a tentative agreement we will bring forward to you," the Canadian Union of Public Employees said in a Facebook post, as the strike entered its fourth day. The carrier had earlier offered a 38 per cent increase in total compensation for flight attendants over four years, with a 25 per cent raise in the first year, which the union deemed insufficient. The flight attendants walked off the job on Saturday after contract talks with the carrier failed. They had sought pay for tasks such as boarding passengers, which are not remunerated. They are now paid for time when the plane is moving. The CUPE, which represents Air Canada's 10,400 flight attendants, wanted to make gains on unpaid work that go beyond recent advances secured by their counterparts at US carriers like American Airlines. In a rare act of defiance, the union remained on strike even after the Canada Industrial Relations Board declared its action unlawful. Their refusal to follow a federal labour board order for the flight attendants to return to work had created a three-way standoff between the company, workers and the government. Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu had urged both sides to consider government mediation and raised pressure on Air Canada, promising to investigate allegations of unpaid work in the airline sector, a key complaint of flight attendants who say they are not paid for work on the ground. Flight attendants have for months argued new contracts should include pay for work done on the ground, such as boarding passengers. Air Canada and its low-cost affiliate Air Canada Rouge normally carry about 130,000 customers a day. The airline is also the foreign carrier with the largest number of flights to the US. Its CEO had on Monday, in a Reuters interview, stopped short of offering plans to break the deadlock, while defending the airline's offer of a 38 per cent boost to flight attendants' total compensation.
Arabian Business
5 hours ago
- Arabian Business
Air Canada flights cancelled: UAE travel update
Air Canada flights to the UAE and destinations around the world have faced major disruption as more than 10,000 cabin crew went on strike. The results were cancelled flights, travel disruption and delayed transport for passengers around the world. The airline carries an estimated 130,000 people daily, with scheduled flights carrying passengers from Dubai to Toronto. Air Canada flights cancelled Following negotiations between Air Canada and travel worker unions an agreement was announced on Tuesday, August 19 ending the suspended flights. However, days of travel disruption are still expected. Canada's largest carrier said it will gradually resume flights, but normal operations could take more than a week to resume. Air Canada said: 'Some flights will continue to be cancelled over the next seven to ten days until the schedule is stabilised. 'The airline's customers with cancelled flights can choose between a refund, travel credit, or rebooking on another airline. 'Air Canada said it will gradually restart its operations today after reaching a mediated agreement with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) through a process overseen by a mutually agreed-to mediator, William Kaplan. Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada, said: 'Mediation discussions were begun on the basis that the union commit to have the airline's 10,000 flight attendants immediately return to work, allowing the airline to resume the operations of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, which have been grounded since August 16. 'The suspension of our service is extremely difficult for our customers. We deeply regret and apologize for the impact on them of this labour disruption. Our priority now is to get them moving as quickly as possible. 'Restarting a major carrier like Air Canada is a complex undertaking. Full restoration may require a week or more, so we ask for our customers' patience and understanding over the coming days. I assure them that everyone at Air Canada is doing everything possible to enable them to travel soon,' said The first flights are scheduled for the evening of August 19, but customers are advised that the airline's return to full, regular service may require seven-to-ten days as aircraft and crew are out of position. During this process, some flights will be cancelled over the next seven to ten days until the schedule is stabilized. Only customers with confirmed bookings whose flights are shown as operating should go to the airport (check your flight's status on or on the Air Canada mobile app before going to the airport). Air Canada will offer options to those with cancelled flights, including obtaining a full refund or receiving a credit for future travel. The carrier will also offer to rebook customers on other airlines, although capacity is currently limited due to the peak summer travel season. Air Canada flight suspensions On August 18 a message on the Air Canada website said: 'Air Canada has suspended its plan to gradually resume operations, after CUPE illegally directed its flight attendant members not to return to work. 'Please do not go to the airport unless you have a confirmed booking on another airline. We will notify you of any impact to your flight itinerary. Additionally, you can check your flight's status online or on the mobile app. 'If you are booked to travel between August 15 and August 22 and would like to make alternate travel arrangements, you can change your flight for free if: 'You purchased an Air Canada ticket or redeemed points for an Aeroplan flight reward no later than August 17, 2025 'If you're scheduled to travel during this period, you can retrieve your booking to change to another Air Canada flight, for free on: Another date between August 23 and September 30, 2025 If you purchased a non-refundable fare, you may cancel your itinerary and receive the unused portion of your ticket in your AC Wallet or as a Future Travel Credit to use on your next Air Canada booking. If you purchased your ticket with Air Canada Vacations, please reach out to them directly 'Due to the volume of flight cancellations, we are also providing a full refund upon request for the unused portion of tickets purchased on or before August 15, 2025, for travel with Air Canada or Air Canada Rouge between August 18 and August 21, 2025. 'This does not include Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz and PAL airlines, which will continue to operate as scheduled'.
Khaleej Times
7 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Air Canada to resume service gradually after deal to end cabin crew strike
Air Canada's unionised flight attendants reached an agreement with the country's largest carrier on Tuesday, ending the first strike by its cabin crew in 40 years that had upended travel plans for hundreds of thousands of passengers. The strike that lasted nearly four days had led the airline that serves about 130,000 people daily to withdraw its third-quarter and full-year earnings guidance. Shares of Air Canada rose 4% in early trading. They have lost 14% of their value so far this year. The carrier said it would gradually resume operations and a full restoration may require a week or more, while the union said it has completed mediation with the airline and its low-cost affiliate Air Canada Rouge. "The Strike has ended. We have a tentative agreement we will bring forward to you," the Canadian Union of Public Employees said in a Facebook post. Air Canada said some flights will be canceled over the next seven to ten days until the schedule is stabilized and that customers with canceled flights can choose between a refund, travel credit, or rebooking on another airline. The flight attendants walked off the job on Saturday after contract talks with the carrier failed. They had sought pay for tasks such as boarding passengers. While the details of the negotiations were not immediately released, the union said the unpaid work was over. The CUPE, which represents Air Canada's 10,400 flight attendants, wanted to make gains on unpaid work that go beyond recent advances secured by their counterparts at U.S. carriers like American Airlines AAL.O. In a rare act of defiance, the union remained on strike even after the Canada Industrial Relations Board declared its action unlawful. Their refusal to follow a federal labor board order for the flight attendants to return to work had created a three-way standoff between the company, workers and the government. Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu had urged both sides to consider government mediation and raised pressure on Air Canada on Monday, promising to investigate allegations of unpaid work in the airline sector. Over the past two years, unions in aerospace, construction, airline and rail sectors have pushed employers for higher pay, improved conditions and better benefits amid a tight labor market. Air Canada's flight attendants have for months argued new contracts should include pay for work done on the ground, such as boarding passengers. Its CEO had on Monday in a Reuters interview stopped short of offering plans to break the deadlock, while defending the airline's offer of a 38% boost to flight attendants' total compensation. While many customers had expressed support for the flight attendants, frustration with flight cancellations was growing. Retiree Klaus Hickman missed a flight to Toronto earlier in the week. While he rebooked on another airline, he was concerned about returning to Calgary on time for a connecting flight to Germany. Hickman sympathizes with workers demanding better pay but is worried about his own health and travel challenges. "They want to get more money to survive. And so it is with everybody else," he said. Canada's largest carrier normally carries 130,000 people daily and is part of the global Star Alliance of airlines. James Numfor, 38, from Regina, Saskatchewan, had been stranded in Toronto for two nights since returning from Cameroon for his brother's funeral. Air Canada only provided one night in a hotel for his family before leaving them without further support, he said. He had slept in the airport with his family.
