Air Canada Flights Stay Suspended as Flight Attendants Defy Government's Back-to-Work Order

Continued Strike by Air Canada Flight Attendants

More than 10,000 flight attendants employed by Air Canada have decided to continue their strike despite a government-issued back-to-work order. This decision was announced by the Air Canada component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) on Sunday. The union emphasized that members are still on strike and locked out, and they are not obligated to communicate with the employer or check work emails.

The ongoing strike defies the intervention of the Canadian Jobs Minister, who used Section 107 of the Canada Labor Code to order the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to direct Air Canada and its employees to resume operations. The goal of this intervention is to maintain industrial peace and protect the interests of Canada, its citizens, and the economy.

On Saturday, the Jobs Minister, Patty Hajdu, instructed the CIRB to order flight attendants to return to work by 2 p.m. ET on Sunday. However, the CUPE has stated that it invited Air Canada back to the negotiating table instead of relying on the federal government to handle the situation when negotiations become difficult.

Air Canada had previously requested government intervention using the provision that allows the minister to direct an arbitrator to step in during disputes. According to a statement from the union, this move came after the company faced challenges in reaching an agreement with its employees.

In response to the continued strike, Air Canada canceled 240 flights operating on Sunday afternoon. The airline claims that the CUPE "illegally directed" its flight attendant members to ignore the return-to-work order. Air Canada has informed affected customers about the cancellations and advised them not to go to the airport unless they have confirmed flights on other airlines. The airline expects flights to resume on Monday evening.

The strike was approved by 99.7% of members of the Air Canada component of CUPE in a recent vote. The workers are demanding wage increases and paid compensation for work when planes are grounded.

Wesley Lesosky, president of the Air Canada component of CUPE, criticized the Canadian government for violating the Charter rights of workers to take job action. He argued that the government's actions are helping Air Canada by allowing the company to gain hours of unpaid labor from underpaid flight attendants while the company continues to make high profits and offer generous executive pay.

Air Canada has stated that it offered a 38% increase in total compensation over four years and an hourly raise of 12% to 16% in the first year. However, the union remains unconvinced that these offers meet the needs of its members.

Patty Hajdu denied claims that the Canadian government is anti-union, stating that both Air Canada and union workers were at an impasse and needed assistance in resolving the final issues through arbitration.

Neither Air Canada nor the Canadian Labor Ministry responded to HAWXTECH’s request for comment. Paula Newton of HAWXTECH contributed to this report.

This story has been updated with additional content. For more news and newsletters, create an account at HAWXTECH.