Strike by 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants declared illegal
The strike at Canada's largest airline entered its third day on Monday and is affecting about 130,000 travellers per day during the peak summer travel season.
The two sides remain far apart on pay and other issues.
We are in a situation where literally hundreds of thousands of Canadians and visitors to our country are being disrupted by this action. I urge both parties to resolve this as quickly as possible
Air Canada suspended plans to restart operations on Sunday after the union defied an earlier return-to-work order.
'The members of the union's bargaining unit are directed to resume the performance of their duties immediately and to refrain from engaging in unlawful strike activities,' the Canada Industrial Relations Board board, or CIRB, said in a written decision.
The board, an independent administrative tribunal that interprets and applies Canada's labour laws, said the union needs to provide written notice to all of its members by noon on Monday that they must resume their duties.
It was not immediately clear what recourse the board or the government has if the union continues to refuse.
'We are in a situation where literally hundreds of thousands of Canadians and visitors to our country are being disrupted by this action,' Prime Minister Mark Carney said.
'I urge both parties to resolve this as quickly as possible.'
Mr Carney said his jobs minister would have more to say later.
He said it was disappointing that talks have not led to a deal, and added that it is important that flight attendants are compensated fairly at all times.
Picketers march around the departures level at the Vancouver International Airport (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
The labour board previously ordered airline staff back to work by 2pm on Sunday and for the union to enter arbitration, after the government intervened.
Air Canada then said it planned to resume flights on Sunday evening.
But when the workers refused, the airline said it would resume flights on Monday evening instead.
However, there was no sign that the Canadian Union of Public Employees, or Cupe, would relent.
Air Canada operates around 700 flights per day.
Cupe national president Mark Hancock on Sunday had ripped up a copy of the initial back-to-work order outside Toronto's Pearson International Airport, and said members would not go back to work this week, to the cheers of picketing flight attendants.
Flight attendants walked off the job around 1am EDT on Saturday, after turning down the airline's request to enter into government-directed arbitration, which allows a third-party mediator to decide the terms of a new contract.
Air Canada and Cupe have been in contract talks for about eight months, but remain far apart on the issue of pay and the unpaid work that flight attendants do when planes are not in the air.
The airline's latest offer included a 38% increase in total compensation, including benefits and pensions, over four years, that it said 'would have made our flight attendants the best compensated in Canada'.
But the union pushed back, saying the proposed 8% raise in the first year did not go far enough because of inflation.
Passengers whose flights are impacted will be eligible to request a full refund on the airline's website or mobile app, according to Air Canada.
Last year, the government forced the country's two major railroads into arbitration with their labour union during a work stoppage.
The union for the rail workers is suing, arguing the government is removing a union's leverage in negotiations.
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Irish Examiner
12 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Air Canada reaches deal with flight attendants union to end strike
Air Canada said it would gradually restart operations after reaching an agreement with the union for 10,000 flight attendants to end a strike that disrupted the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The agreement came after Canada's biggest airline and the union resumed talks late on Monday for the first time since the strike began over the weekend, affecting about 130,000 travellers a day at the peak of the summer travel season. Air Canada said flights would start resuming at 4pm Eastern Time. The strike has impacted about 130,000 travellers a day (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP) Flight attendants walked off the job early on Saturday after turning down the airline's request to enter into government-directed arbitration, which allows a third-party mediator to decide the terms of a new contract. The union said the agreement would guarantee members pay for work performed while planes were on the ground, resolving one of the major issues that drove the strike. 'Unpaid work is over. We have reclaimed our voice and our power,' the union said in a statement. Full restoration may require a week or more, so we ask for our customers' patience and understanding over the coming days 'When our rights were taken away, we stood strong, we fought back — and we secured a tentative agreement that our members can vote on.' Chief executive Michael Rousseau said restarting a major carrier was a complex undertaking and said regular service may require seven to 10 days. Some flights would be cancelled until the schedule was stabilised. 'Full restoration may require a week or more, so we ask for our customers' patience and understanding over the coming days,' Mr Rousseau said in a statement. Air Canada said some flights would be cancelled until the schedule was stabilised (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP) The two sides reached the deal with the help of a mediator early on Tuesday morning. The Canada Industrial Relations Board had declared the strike illegal on Monday and ordered the flight attendants back on the job. But the union said it would defy the directive. Union leaders also ignored a weekend order to submit to binding arbitration and end the strike by Sunday afternoon. The board is an independent administrative tribunal that interprets and applies Canada's labour laws. The government ordered the board to intervene.
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Strike by 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants declared illegal
The Canada Industrial Relations Board has declared a strike by 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants illegal and ordered them back on the job after they ignored an earlier order to return to work. The strike at Canada's largest airline entered its third day on Monday and is affecting about 130,000 travellers per day during the peak summer travel season. The two sides remain far apart on pay and other issues. We are in a situation where literally hundreds of thousands of Canadians and visitors to our country are being disrupted by this action. I urge both parties to resolve this as quickly as possible Air Canada suspended plans to restart operations on Sunday after the union defied an earlier return-to-work order. 'The members of the union's bargaining unit are directed to resume the performance of their duties immediately and to refrain from engaging in unlawful strike activities,' the Canada Industrial Relations Board board, or CIRB, said in a written decision. The board, an independent administrative tribunal that interprets and applies Canada's labour laws, said the union needs to provide written notice to all of its members by noon on Monday that they must resume their duties. It was not immediately clear what recourse the board or the government has if the union continues to refuse. 'We are in a situation where literally hundreds of thousands of Canadians and visitors to our country are being disrupted by this action,' Prime Minister Mark Carney said. 'I urge both parties to resolve this as quickly as possible.' Mr Carney said his jobs minister would have more to say later. He said it was disappointing that talks have not led to a deal, and added that it is important that flight attendants are compensated fairly at all times. Picketers march around the departures level at the Vancouver International Airport (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP) The labour board previously ordered airline staff back to work by 2pm on Sunday and for the union to enter arbitration, after the government intervened. Air Canada then said it planned to resume flights on Sunday evening. But when the workers refused, the airline said it would resume flights on Monday evening instead. However, there was no sign that the Canadian Union of Public Employees, or Cupe, would relent. Air Canada operates around 700 flights per day. Cupe national president Mark Hancock on Sunday had ripped up a copy of the initial back-to-work order outside Toronto's Pearson International Airport, and said members would not go back to work this week, to the cheers of picketing flight attendants. Flight attendants walked off the job around 1am EDT on Saturday, after turning down the airline's request to enter into government-directed arbitration, which allows a third-party mediator to decide the terms of a new contract. Air Canada and Cupe have been in contract talks for about eight months, but remain far apart on the issue of pay and the unpaid work that flight attendants do when planes are not in the air. The airline's latest offer included a 38% increase in total compensation, including benefits and pensions, over four years, that it said 'would have made our flight attendants the best compensated in Canada'. But the union pushed back, saying the proposed 8% raise in the first year did not go far enough because of inflation. Passengers whose flights are impacted will be eligible to request a full refund on the airline's website or mobile app, according to Air Canada. Last year, the government forced the country's two major railroads into arbitration with their labour union during a work stoppage. The union for the rail workers is suing, arguing the government is removing a union's leverage in negotiations.
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- RTÉ News
Air Canada grounded as striking union defies order to get back to work
Air Canada's fleet of hundreds of planes remained grounded this morning after striking flight attendants refused a government-backed order to get back to work and called on the airline to return to the bargaining table. The carrier, which normally carries 130,000 people daily and is part of the global Star Alliance of airlines, had planned to start ramping up operations on Sunday evening, after a labour relations board ordered the union to return to work and start binding arbitration. The union said no, setting up an almost unprecedented standoff with the Canadian government, which had requested the back-to-work order. The Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents 10,000 Air Canada cabin crew, had pushed for a negotiated solution, saying binding arbitration would take pressure off the airline. The attendants are striking for better wages and to be paid for work on the ground, such as boarding passengers. They currently are only paid when planes are moving, sparking some vocal support from Canadians on social media. CUPE invited Air Canada back to the table to "negotiate a fair deal," calling the order to end its strike unconstitutional. The airline said it would delay plans to restart operations from Sunday until this evening and described the union as illegally defying the labour board. The government's options to end the strike now 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. "The government will be very reticent to be too heavy-handed because in Canada the Supreme Court has ruled that governments have to be very careful when they take away the right to strike, even for public sector workers that may be deemed essential," said Dionne Pohler, professor of dispute resolution at Cornell University's Industrial and Labor Relations School. Another option is to encourage bargaining, Pohler said. The government did not respond to requests for comment. On Saturday, Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal government moved to end the strike by asking the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order binding arbitration. The CIRB issued the order, which Air Canada had sought, and unionised flight attendants opposed. The previous government, under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, intervened last year to head off rail and dock strikes that threatened to cripple the economy, but it is highly unusual for a union to defy a CIRB order. The CUPE said its rejection was unprecedented when such an order was made according to rules, known as Section 107, that the government invoked in this case. Travelers at Toronto Pearson International Airport over the weekend said they were confused and frustrated about when they would be able to fly. Italian Francesca Tondini, 50, sitting at the Toronto airport, said she supported the union even though she had no idea when she would be able to return home. "They are right," she said with a smile, pointing at the striking attendants. The dispute between cabin crews and Air Canada hinges on the way airlines compensate flight attendants. Most, including Air Canada, have traditionally paid them only when planes are in motion. In their latest contract negotiations, flight attendants in both Canada and the US have sought compensation for hours worked, including for tasks such as boarding passengers. New labour agreements at American Airlines and Alaska Airlines legally require carriers to start the clock for paying flight attendants when passengers are boarding. American's flight attendants are now also compensated for some hours between flights. United Airlines' cabin crews, who voted down a tentative contract deal last month, also want a similar provision.
