DBS' Tan Su Shan ranked sixth in Fortune's list of the most powerful women in business
In the top 10, she is the only Singaporean and one of two Asian-based business leaders alongside Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, who ranked 10th.
The list, released on Tuesday (May 20), is 'based on company size and health, as well as an executive's career trajectory, influence, innovation and efforts to make business better', according to Fortune.
Tan, who ranked 89th in last year's iteration, is the first woman to lead DBS, the largest bank in South-east Asia. She took over the helm from former CEO Piyush Gupta in March.
Rounding out the top five are: Mary Barra, chair and CEO of carmaker General Motors; Julie Sweet, chair and CEO of services company Accenture; Jane Fraser, chair and CEO of Citigroup; Lisa Su, chair and CEO of semiconductor maker AMD; and Ana Botin, executive chairman of Banco Santander.
OCBC group CEO Helen Wong ranked 15th and Png Chin Yee, chief financial officer of Temasek, was 87th.
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International Business Times
2 hours ago
- International Business Times
One of America's Largest Semiconductor Companies Set to be Nationalized as Trump Admin Launches Its Own 'Manhattan Project'
The Trump administration has kicked off its own version of a "Manhattan Project" following reports that one of the country's biggest companies may be taken over by the government. Intel, the largest semiconductor fabricator in the U.S., has been in discussions with Donald Trump regarding a possible government ownership stake. Although the exact share being sought by Intel has not yet been disclosed, government takeovers of private companies are generally considered a measure of last resort during times of crisis. During the 2008 financial meltdown, the U.S. government took control of several banks, and in World War II it took control of several major logistics companies across the United States. Trump's Big New Project Intel's CEO Lip-Bu Tan X The latest move stems from concerns that the U.S. is overly dependent on TSMC, a Taiwan-based chipmaker, even as China continues to issue threats of invading the island. Such an invasion could cripple America's ability to compete in the rapidly expanding semiconductor market, especially as demand soars due to artificial intelligence. Although Intel's AI chips lag behind those produced by NVIDIA and AMD, the company holds a strategic advantage because it both designs and manufactures its own products. Semiconductor Wikimedia Commons Trump's plan is aimed at strengthening national security by bringing chip production back to U.S. soil. "This feels like the Manhattan Project - or the run-up to World War II," MIT AI computer scientist Dave Blundin said. "It's every bit as important as the space race was, as the nuclear arms race was. Actually, it's more important." Intel's cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing capabilities could help the U.S. reduce its dependence on overseas chip factories—particularly those in Taiwan, which controls over 60 percent of the global market—while supporting artificial intelligence, national defense, and the broader economy. Intel Reuters Negotiations are still underway, with details continuing to take shape. According to a source cited by Bloomberg, the plan would involve the U.S. government purchasing a stake in the company. However, another insider stressed that these discussions are not guaranteed to result in an agreement and could end without a deal. Tech and AI specialists speaking on Diamandis' Moonshots podcast compared the initiative to a modern-day "Manhattan Project," describing it as a kind of "national survival strategy." "The reason the US needs to protect Taiwan fundamentally... is because the fabs are there. If the fabs all move to the US, then why would the US defend Taiwan?" Blundin said. Concerns Grow Over Nationalization Some have voiced concerns over the move to nationalize the company, with one observer noting: "They're putting the whole industry on a kind of war footing, like mobilization for conflict, except the battleground is supply chains and chip fabs." Donald Trump X In a statement to Bloomberg, Intel declined to address its talks with the Trump administration but said it remains "deeply committed to supporting President Trump's efforts to strengthen US technology and manufacturing leadership." "We look forward to continuing our work with the Trump administration to advance these shared priorities, but we are not going to comment on rumors or speculation," the company added. The move comes after two AI firms agreed last week to give 15 percent of their chip sales revenue from China to the U.S. government in return for export permits. According to three people with knowledge of the matter, NVIDIA and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) struck this first-of-its-kind agreement with the White House to market and distribute their semiconductors in China. The agreement could generate over $2 billion for the U.S. government, though Trump has not specified how those funds would be allocated, according to the New York Times.
AsiaOne
2 hours ago
- AsiaOne
6 best cashback credit cards in Singapore (August 2025), Money News
Everyone from the kopitiam uncle to K-pop stans seems to be chasing air miles these days. I get it — racking up points for a jet-setting lifestyle sounds way sexier than hoarding cash rebates. But as someone who doesn't travel much, I'm firmly, unabashedly in the cashback camp. What? Don't judge. If you're like me and prefer cold, hard savings over glamorous airport lounges, this article's for you. I've reviewed the best cashback credit cards in Singapore and narrowed it down to five winners: one each for unlimited cashback, groceries, dining, online shopping, and transport. Ready to earn those cash rebates? Let's take a look at the best cashback credit cards in Singapore in 2025. 1. TL;DR: Best cashback credit cards in Singapore (2025) If you want the short version, here it is. Whether you're a die-hard supermarket loyalist, a dining-out fiend, or just want fuss-free unlimited cashback, there's a card that fits your spending habits. We picked the winners based on cashback rate, minimum spend, category breadth, and caps so you don't have to dig through the fine print. Category Winner Runner-up Dining HSBC Live+ Card 8per cent on dining till Dec 31, 2025, $600 min spend Maybank Family & Friends Card 8 per cent on dining (when you select if as 1 of 5 preferred categories), $800 min spend Groceries DBS yuu Card Up to 18per cent at Cold Storage & Giant NTUC Link Credit Card by Trust Up to 21 per cent at FairPrice CIMB Visa Signature 10per cent on groceries on MCC basis, $800 min spend, $20/category cap Shopping UOB EVOL Card 10 per cent online/mobile contactless, $600 min spend, $30 cap per month OCBC FRANK Card 8per cent online/contactless, $800 min spend, $25 cap per month Transport UOB One Card Up to 10 per cent at Grab and SimplyGo, plus fuel savings at Shell and SPC petrol stations Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card Up to 10per cent on SimplyGo and EV charging Unlimited cashback UOB Absolute Cashback Card 1.7 per cent unlimited, $0 min spend, earns on insurance Citi Cash Back+ Card and OCBC INFINITY Card 1.6per cent unlimited, $0 min spend Before we go into more details, let's get you orientated. Here's a quick summary of how cashback credit cards work, so you understand the mechanics that underlie your rewards. 2. Best cashback credit card for dining Winner: HSBC Live+ Card For now, the crown goes to the HSBC Live+ Card , thanks to its eight per cent cashback on dining, shopping, and entertainment for the first two calendar quarters. With a relatively low $600/month minimum spend (or $1,000 total if you're issued mid-quarter), it's not hard to unlock. Even better, the dining cashback is based on MCC codes, so you'll earn at everything from your neighbourhood zi char to your favourite café abroad instead of just a fixed list of partner restaurants. But why is it the winner only for now? The eight per cent cashback hinges on a promo that's only valid until Dec 31, 2025 . Yes, this promo has been renewed again and again since the card's launch in June 2024, but there's no guarantee HSBC will extend it again. Runner-up: Maybank Family & Friends Card The Maybank Family & Friends Card is wonderfully versatile because you can pick up to five categories on which to earn up to eight per cent cashback — the same rate as HSBC Live+, but with a higher minimum spend of $800/month. Honourable mention: Citi Cash Back Card With the Citi Cash Back Card , you take home a solid six per cent dining cashback on MCC-based spend with the same $800/month minimum spend. Flexible coverage, decent rate, but not quite HSBC's eight per cent. Other dining cashback cards and why they didn't win Card Dining cashback rate Why it didn't win CIMB World Mastercard 2 per cent unlimited on Wine & Dine with $1,000/month min spend Lower rate than top contenders, with a high minimum spend DBS yuu Card Up to 18 per cent at yuu merchants (requires $600 total spend across all yuu categories) Very high rate, but restricted to specific yuu partner outlets; doesn't cover broader dining MCCs Lazada-UOB Card 5 per cent on dining (shared $25/month cap across dining, entertainment & transport from Sept 2025) Cashback cap is low, especially since it will be shared across 3 categories OCBC 365 Credit Card 5 per cent on dining (including overseas & food delivery) with $800/month min spend Good MCC breadth but lower rate than HSBC Live+ and Maybank F&F POSB Everyday Card 5 per cent on dining with $800/month min spend Lower rate compared to top contenders Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card Up to 10 per cent at 'Smart Dining' merchants with $1,500/month min spend Restricted to a fixed merchant list and high minimum spend of $1,500 to unlock highest rate Trust Cashback Credit Card Up to 15 per cent on a category of your choice, including dining, with $250/month cap Cashback cap limits earnings potential; high $2,000/month min spend to unlock highest rate; your bonus cashback is limited to just 1 category UOB One Card Up to 10 per cent at selected partners only (e.g. McDonald's, Grab) Limited—as far as dining goes, you'll only earn at McDonald's; high $2,000/month minimum spend to unlock highest rate 3. Best cashback credit card for groceries Winners: NTUC Link Credit Card by Trust, DBS yuu Card If you're loyal to a single supermarket chain, merchant-specific cards can be unbeatable. The NTUC Link Credit Card by Trust gives market-leading rates of up to 21 per cent savings at FairPrice stores (including FairPrice Online), while the DBS yuu Card does the same with up to 18 per cent cashback at Cold Storage and Giant. These aren't MCC-based, but if you do most of your grocery runs at one of these chains, the extra cashback is worth it. Card Minimum spend tier Grocery cashback rate Merchants DBS yuu Card $0 5 per cent base cashback (no cap) Cold Storage, Giant, Guardian, and other yuu merchants $600/month 18 per cent (capped at $78/month bonus cashback; unlimited base cashback) NTUC Link Credit Card by Trust $0 Up to 4.5 per cent for FairPrice members FairPrice groceries include FairPrice supermarkets, FairPrice Online, Unity pharmacies. $350/month Up to 15 per cent for FairPrice members $700/month Up to 21 per cent for FairPrice members Runner-up: CIMB Visa Signature For those who want the highest MCC-based rate, the CIMB Visa Signature offers 10 per cent cashback on all grocery spend, both in-store and online. The catch? You'll need to hit $800/month minimum spend, and cashback is capped at $20 per category — meaning you'll only earn cashback on the first $200 of grocery spend per month. Great for light-to-moderate shoppers, not for families doing $400+ grocery runs. Honourable mentions: POSB Everyday Card, Citi SMRT Card If you shop at Sheng Siong, the POSB Everyday Card is all for you: five per cent cashback with a remarkable $0 minimum spend. That's hard to beat for casual shoppers. The other honourable mention goes to the Citi SMRT Card. Don't judge it by its unglamorous name — with a low $500 minimum spend, this card offers five per cent cashback on groceries from supermarkets, alongside online shopping and public and private transport. Other grocery cashback cards and why they didn't win Card Grocery Cashback Rate Why It Didn't Win Citi Cash Back Card 6 per cent on groceries (MCC-based) with $800/month min spend Strong rate, but lower than CIMB Visa Signature with the same minimum spend Lazada-UOB Card 6 per cent (capped at $20) at RedMart till Aug 31, 2025; 2 per cent (capped at $20 shared with Lazada spend) from Sept 1, 2025 Restricted to one merchant; cap is low and shared across multiple categories, limiting total savings potential Maybank Family & Friends Card Up to 8 per cent on groceries (choose as one of 5 preferred categories) with $800/month min spend Competitive but falls short of the cards above, and the cap of $25/category limits big spenders OCBC 365 Credit Card 3 per cent on groceries with $800/month min spend, capped at $80/month MCC coverage is broad, but rate is too low to compete UOB One Card 8 per cent with $2,000/month min spend, or 6 per cent with $1,000/month spend High rate, but very high spend requirement Winners: UOB EVOL Card and UOB One Card Looking at high rates, low minimum spends, and a wide range of shopping categories, the UOB EVOL Card comes out on top. It offers 10 per cent cashback on combined online and mobile contactless spend, with just a $600/month minimum spend. On top of that, you'll also get to enjoy 10 per cent cashback on selected gym, telco and streaming spend, and 0 per cent forex fees on all overseas foreign currency spend. The only downside? A $30/month cap, so anything above $300 in eligible spend won't earn cashback. Willing to sacrifice category breadth for a bigger cap? If you're more of a Shopee-holic than a general shopaholic, the UOB One Card is worth a look. Even the lowest $600/month tier gives 8.33 per cent cashback at Shopee, which is made up of 3.33 per cent quarterly cashback and 5per cent additional cashback. Best of all, the card offers a generous $120 cap on the additional cashback you earn, equivalent to $2,400 worth of spending. The catch is that it's Shopee-only, so not great for varied shopping. Runner-up: OCBC FRANK Card A strong all-rounder, the OCBC FRANK Card boasts 8per cent cashback on local online/contactless mobile spend and foreign spend with $800/month minimum spend. Rather than rewarding you based on MCC, it awards cashback based on your payment code, greatly widening your cashback net. Honourable mentions: CIMB Visa Signature, HSBC Live+ Card The CIMB Visa Signature comes with a generous 10 per cent cashback , but only for online spend. Plus, it limits you to a $20/category cap and requires $800/month minimum spend. With the HSBC Live+ Card , you can currently enjoy eight per cent cashback with a low minimum monthly spend of $600, but this is a promotional rate only valid till Dec 31, 2025. Fingers crossed — hopefully HSBC extends it! Other shopping cashback cards and why they didn't win Shopping cashback card Rate / Min spend / Cap Why it didn't win Citi SMRT Card 5per cent on online shopping / $500 min spend / 600SMRT$ cap per year Decent rate and low min spend, but lower than top contenders and capped DBS Live Fresh Card 6per cent on shopping (online & in-store) / $800 min spend / $50 per month cap for shopping Solid coverage but rate lower than top contenders Maybank Family & Friends Card Up to 8per cent on shopping (if you select is as 1 of 5 preferred categories) / $800 min spend / capped at $25 per month per category High rate but cap limits heavy shoppers POSB Everyday Card 8per cent at selected online merchants / $800 min spend / $20 per month category cap Limited to specific merchants and not MCC-based; cap of $20/month Trust Cashback Credit Card – Up to 5per cent / $500 min spend / $30 monthly cap– Up to 10per cent / $1,000 min spend / $100 monthly cap– Up to 15per cent / $2,000 min spend / $250 monthly cap High minimum spend required to unlock highest rate; selecting this as your bonus category also limits you to only earn bonus rates on shopping 5. Best cashback credit card for transport Winner: UOB One Card For a mix of SimplyGo, petrol, and Grab rides, the UOB One Card delivers the highest overall earning potential. You can get up to 10 per cent cashback at selected transport merchants like Grab and SimplyGo, plus strong petrol savings of up to 22.66 per cent at Shell and SPC. The UOB One Card's 10 per cent cashback on transport is unlocked for high spenders hitting the $2,000/month tier, but even the lower tiers ($600 or $1,000/month) give respectable returns of 8.33 per cent cashback for daily commuters. Runner-up: Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card With the Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card, earn up to 10 per cent cashback on "Smart Transport", which includes SimplyGo and EV charging, alongside dining and streaming. You earn eight per cent with a $800/month spend, and 10 per cent with a $1,500/month spend. While the latter is a high spend requirement, the UOB One Card's ask to unlock the same 10 per cent is even higher. One great feature of the SC Smart Credit Card is that its cashback is unlimited for all tiers, so you don't ever need to worry about charging too much to this card. But what is limited about the Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card is that its bonus cashback only applies to SimplyGo and EV charging. Honourable mention: Citi Cash Back Card The SC Smart Card's narrow category selection is why I think of the Citi Cash Back Card as something like the Smart Card's alter ego. With this Citi card, you can similarly earn eight per cent cashback with $800 minimum spend, but this time on petrol and private commute instead of SimplyGo and EV charging. I bumped it to a spot below the SC Smart Card because it isn't limitless; cashback is capped at $80/month, so high spenders will be limited. Other transport cashback cards and why they didn't win Card Rate / Min spend / Cap Why it didn't win CIMB World Mastercard 2 per cent unlimited on taxis & automobiles / $1,000 min spend / No cap Low rate compared to top contenders; better suited for those wanting unlimited coverage Citi SMRT Card Up to 5 per cent on SimplyGo / $500 min spend / 600SMRT$ annual cap Decent rate for $500/month minimum spend, but it just isn;t as competitive as our winning cards DBS Live Fresh Card 6 per cent on transport (SimplyGo) / $800 min spend / $20 cap for transport Wide breadth, but high minimum spend and high cap that would limit heavy commuters DBS yuu Card Up to 18 per cent at Gojek / $600 min spend / Capped at $78/month bonus cashback; unlimited base cashback Very high rate at Gojek, but also a very narrow merchant list of just 1 — no earnings for petrol or SimplyGo Lazada-UOB Card (from Sept 1, 2025) 5 per cent on transport / $700 min spend / $25 shared cap with dining & entertainment Low shared cap reduces earnings potential for transport Maybank Family & Friends Card Up to 8 per cent on transport (choose as 1 or 5 preferred categories) / $800 min spend / $25 per category cap High rate but capped at equivalent of $312.50 spend, not ideal for frequent commuters or drivers OCBC 365 Credit Card 6 per cent on petrol; 3 per cent on taxis, private commute and EV charging / $800 min spend / $80 monthly cap Strong for petrol, but weak for taxi and private hire, and no SimplyGo coverage OCBC FRANK Card Up to 10 per cent on SimplyGo and BlueSG (mobile contactless) / $800 min spend / $25 cap per category High rate, but cap limits earnings POSB Everyday Card 10 per cent with SimplyGo / $800 min spend / $20 monthly cap 6 per cent at SPC (petrol) / $0 min spend / No cap Good SimplyGo and single-merchant petrol savings, but no coverage for taxis/private hire Trust Cashback Credit Card – Up to 5 per cent / $500 min spend / $30 monthly cap– Up to 10 per cent / $1,000 min spend / $100 monthly cap– Up to 15 per cent / $2,000 min spend / $250 monthly cap High minimum spend required to unlock highest rate; selecting this as your bonus category also limits you to only earn bonus rates on shopping 6. Best cashback credit card for unlimited cashback If optimising specific spend categories is too much work for you, let's take a step back and look at the all-in, catch-all type of cashback card: unlimited cashback credit cards. These cards offer cashback on almost everything, and usually come with a $0 minimum spend requirement. They're great for: People who cannot be bothered remembering which card to tap on the train, which to use when eating out, etc. Earning cashback on large purchases like furniture or electronics — these would otherwise bust the cap on most other cashback credit cards that have monthly or annual caps Winner: UOB Absolute Cashback Card When it comes to unlimited cashback cards in Singapore, the UOB Absolute Cashback Card isn't just the highest no-minimum-spend rate after promos, at an impressive 1.7 per cent. It's also an ultra-rare card that earns you cashback on things like insurance premiums — and this is after its May 2024 nerf, before which it even earned you 1.7 per cent on categories like education, tax payments, pet stores and veterinary services, medical services and hospitals, utilities, and more. The only catch? The UOB Absolute Cashback Card is an American Express card, so acceptance can be slightly more limited compared to Visa or Mastercard. Runner-ups: Citi Cash Back+ Card, OCBC INFINITY Card The Citi Cash Back+ Card and OCBC INFINITY Cashback Card both offer 1.6 per cent unlimited cashback with no minimum spend . They're both Mastercard, which might be preferable if you're worried the UOB Absolute Card may not be accepted due to it being with Amex. How do you decide between them then? Consider: Which has a better welcome gift ? This factor was what made me choose the Citi Cash Back+ for myself. Check out our article on credit card promotions in Singapore for a summary. welcome gift Do you prefer redeeming cashback in your own time, or have it automatically offset your next bill? The former is the OCBC INFINITY, and the latter the Citi Cash Back+. redeeming cashback automatically offset Do you have or plan to open a savings account like the OCBC 360 savings account ? In my opinion, the OCBC 360 is better than the Citi Wealth First account, and the OCBC INFINITY Card can help to earn you higher bonus interest. Read more in my review of savings accounts in Singapore. Honourable mentions: American Express True Cashback Card, Standard Chartered Simply Cash Credit Card We have two cards whose regular rates aren't high, but stand out now thanks to limited-time promotions. The American Express True Cashback Card offers a juicy three per cent cashback on up to $5,000 spend in the first six months before reverting to an unlimited 1.5 per cent cashback. It's perfect if you have known big purchases you're planning for at merchants that take Amex. Another strong contender is the Standard Chartered Simply Cash Credit Card, with its ongoing two per cent unlimited cashback promo (until Oct 31, 2025) for those who can meet the $800 minimum spend threshold. Other unlimited cashback cards and why they didn't win There are many other unlimited cashback cards in Singapore that generally offer between 1.5 - 1.7 per cent with no minimum spend. If you ask me, 0.1 per cent isn't going to make a huge difference — I myself use the Citi Cash Back+ just because the welcome gift appealed to me — so here's a summary if you want to browse the alternatives: Unlimited cashback card in Singapore Cashback rate Why it didn't win American Express True Cashback Card – 3.0per cent cashback on up to $5,000 spend in the first 6 months– 1.5per cent unlimited cashback all subsequent eligible purchases The 3per cent is impressive, but only lasts for 6 months and is limited to $5,000 spend CIMB World Mastercard – 2per cent unlimited cashback on dining, online food delivery, entertainment, transport, and luxury goods with ≥ $1,000 spend in a statement month.– 1per cent unlimited cashback on all other spend, or on eligible categories if monthly spend is < $1,000. 2per cent cashback comes with a high minimum spend of $1,000; otherwise, the 1per cent cannot compete CIMB Visa Infinite – 2per cent unlimited cashback on travel, overseas spending, and online spend in foreign currency with ≥ $2,000 spend in a statement month– 1per cent unlimited cashback on all other spend, or on eligible categories if monthly spend is < $2,000. 2per cent cashback comes with an even higher minimum spend of $2,000; again, otherwise, the 1per cent cannot compete Citi Cash Back+ Card Unlimited 1.6per cent with no minimum spend; cashback does not expire Decent, but it falls just 0.1per cent short of UOB Absolute Cashback OCBC INFINITY Cashback Card Unlimited 1.6per cent with no minimum spend; cashback automatically offsets your next credit card bill Decent, but it also falls just 0.1per cent short of UOB Absolute Cashback Standard Chartered Simply Cash Credit Card – [Limited time] 2per cent unlimited cashback, from now to 31 Oct 2025 if you spend ≥ $800 within 30 days– Otherwise, 1.5per cent unlimited cashback with no minimum spend; cashback automatically offsets your next credit card bill 2per cent is for a limited time; otherwise its 1.5per cent rate is not as competitive Trust Cashback Credit Card Unlimited instant 1per cent cashback with no minimum spend* This credit card is sort of a hybrid. It also offers up to 15per cent cashback on 1 category of your choice with a monthly minimum spend—read more in my review . 1per cent is low for an unlimited cashback credit card UOB Absolute Cashback Card – Unlimited 1.7per cent with no minimum spend on almost everything, even insurance premiums– Cashback automatically offsets your next credit card bill With the highest unlimited cashback rate in Singapore (excluding limited-time promotions), it won! 7. Finding the best combination for you While we've crowned the best cards for each category, the reality is your personal "best" might be a mix — either across two or more cards, or within a single card that covers multiple categories well. If you have high, consistent spend in different areas (say, dining and groceries), pairing two specialised cards could maximise your returns. But if your monthly spend isn't high enough to meet the minimum spends on multiple cards, a versatile card that earns well across categories might be the smarter move. For example, I wanted a card for my daily commute and online shopping. On paper, the Citi SMRT Card isn't a winner in any single category, but it gives me decent cashback on SimplyGo rides and online spend with just a $500 minimum. I also keep the Citi Cash Back+ Card in my wallet to whip out for big purchases that would bust other cards' cashback caps. The key is to map your spending patterns by looking at your actual monthly expenses first. Then choose a combo of cards or a single all-rounder that covers your biggest spend categories without overcomplicating your wallet. [[nid:720215]] This article was first published in MoneySmart .
Business Times
2 hours ago
- Business Times
Canada directs labour board to end strike at biggest airline
CANADA'S government moved to order more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants back to work, less than 12 hours into a strike that caused hundreds of flight cancellations. Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu directed the independent Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to order the company and the striking employees to resume operations. She asked the board to impose binding arbitration and to extend the terms of the flight attendants' existing contract until a new one can be determined. It was not immediately clear when flights would resume. Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge operations remain suspended pending the outcome of the CIRB process, the airline said in a statement on Saturday (Aug 16) evening. The online departures board for Toronto Pearson, the country's busiest airport, showed extensive cancellations for scheduled Sunday flights. In recent disputes with Canadian railroad and postal workers, the labour board followed similar government directions within a matter of days. In the meantime, the Air Canada component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees stressed that the strike would continue, deepening the travel chaos. The government's decision rewards Air Canada by 'crushing' workers' rights, the union said in a statement. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Some 10,500 flight attendants walked off the job early on Aug 16 after pay talks between the union and the country's biggest airline fell through. PHOTO: BLOOMBERG Some 10,500 flight attendants walked off the job early on Saturday after pay talks between the union and the country's biggest airline fell through. That led Montreal-based Air Canada to ground hundreds of flights and lock out flight attendants, disrupting some 130,000 passengers a day during the summer holiday season. 'It has now become clear that this dispute won't be resolved at the table,' Hajdu said in a statement. 'Canadians are increasingly finding themselves in very difficult situations, and the strike is rapidly impacting the Canadian economy.' Controversial legal power The move extends the government's use of a controversial legal power which allows it to act to 'secure industrial peace' by directing the labour relations board. Its use has been challenged in court, and unions say it undermines collective bargaining because companies can count on the government to intervene. Air Canada and the labour board did not respond to requests for comment. Business groups applauded the move, while other unions and opposition politicians condemned it. 'With valuable cargo grounded and passengers stranded, the government made the right decision to refer the two sides to binding arbitration,' said Matthew Holmes, head of public policy at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. 'Every hour counts, given Air Canada says it will need up to a week for its network to be fully operationalised again, meaning that close to a million Canadians and international visitors could be impacted.' Prime Minister Mark Carney is 'proving once again that he is no friend to workers or labour, and would rather reward his corporate buddies than pay flight attendants who work tirelessly on their feet all day', said Kyle Seeback, the opposition Conservative Party's spokesman for labour, touting legislation designed to improve flight attendant pay. Polling from Abacus Data showed 59 per cent of Canadians wanted the federal government to respect the right of workers to strike, even if it led to travel disruptions. Many more sympathised with the flight attendants than with the company. Regional flights by Air Canada Express are not affected because they are operated by third-party airlines. BLOOMBERG
