Air Canada Flight Attendants Refuse Government Order to Return to Work

Air Canada Suspends Restart Plans Amid Flight Attendant Strike

Air Canada has suspended its plans to resume operations on Sunday after the union representing 10,000 flight attendants refused to comply with a return-to-work order. This decision has further disrupted travel for around 130,000 passengers per day during the peak summer travel season.

The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) had ordered airline staff to return to work by 2 p.m. on Sunday following government intervention. Air Canada initially planned to restart flights in the evening but now says it will resume operations on Monday evening instead.

In a statement, Air Canada claimed that the union "illegally directed its flight attendant members to defy a direction from the Canadian Industrial Relations Board." The union, however, remains firm in its stance.

Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) national president Mark Hancock stated outside Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, “Our members are not going back to work.” He described the entire process as “unfair” and said the union will challenge what it calls an unconstitutional order.

Hancock criticized Air Canada for refusing to negotiate with the union, suggesting that the airline knew the government would step in to resolve the dispute. “Air Canada has really refused to bargain with us and they refused to bargain with us because they knew this government would come in on their white horse and try and save the day,” he said.

Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu ordered the 10,000 flight attendants back to work less than 12 hours after they walked off the job. She emphasized that now is not the time to take risks with the economy, especially considering the unprecedented tariffs the U.S. has imposed on Canada. Hajdu referred the work stoppage to the CIRB, which has extended the term of the existing collective agreement until a new one is determined by an arbitrator.

The shutdown of Canada’s largest airline early Saturday affected approximately 130,000 people daily. Air Canada operates around 700 flights per day, and the strike led to significant disruptions. Flight attendants walked off the job around 1 a.m. Eastern on Saturday, and Air Canada began locking them out of airports at the same time.

The contract dispute escalated when the union rejected Air Canada’s previous request for government-directed arbitration. This process allows a third-party mediator to decide the terms of a new contract. Last year, the government forced the country’s two major railroads into arbitration during a similar work stoppage. The rail workers’ union is currently suing, arguing that the government is removing a union’s leverage in negotiations.

The Business Council of Canada had urged the government to impose binding arbitration in this case as well. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce also welcomed the intervention. However, Hajdu maintained that her Liberal government is not anti-union, stating that the two sides are clearly at an impasse.

Passengers whose flights are impacted can request a full refund through Air Canada’s website or mobile app. The airline is also offering alternative travel options through other Canadian and foreign airlines when possible. However, it warned that immediate rebooking might not be guaranteed due to high demand during the summer travel peak.

Air Canada and CUPE have been in contract talks for about eight months without reaching a tentative deal. Both sides remain far apart on issues such as pay and the unpaid work flight attendants perform when planes aren’t in the air.

Air Canada’s latest offer included a 38% increase in total compensation over four years, including benefits and pensions. The airline claimed this would make flight attendants the best compensated in Canada. However, the union argued that the proposed 8% raise in the first year was insufficient given current inflation rates.