Air Canada Flight Attendants Continue Strike Beyond Deadline
On Sunday, Air Canada flight attendants kept striking even after a deadline set by the government-backed Labor Commission for them to return to work. This delay has allowed the airline to postpone its plans to resume operations.
The Canadian Civil Service Coalition issued a statement maintaining their stance on the strike. They criticized the order to have Air Canada negotiate a “fair deal” as unconstitutional.
As a result, the airline shifted its plans to restart operations from Sunday to Monday evening.
On Saturday, the liberal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney took steps to resolve the strike involving over 10,000 flight attendants. They requested binding arbitration from Canada’s Board of Industrial Relations. Although the CIRB issued an order as requested by Air Canada, the union representing flight attendants opposed it.
According to Canadian Labour Law, the government can push for binding arbitration through the CIRB to safeguard the economy.
The government could explore options such as asking the courts to enforce a return-to-work order and expedite hearings. However, with a minority government, any legislative changes would also require significant political support and approval, which could be challenging since parliament is in recess until September 15th.
Requests for comments from the government went unanswered.
This situation marks the first job action by Air Canada flight attendants since 1985, occurring after prolonged negotiations over their contract.
Air Canada had intended to resume operations on Sunday evening after anticipating the end of the strike. On Saturday, the strike resulted in the cancellation of about 700 flights daily, affecting over 100,000 travelers.
The union raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest regarding CIRB Chairman Maryse Tremblay, who previously worked as a senior advisor to Air Canada. Her background as a legal advisor to the airline from 1998 to 2004 was noted.
Requests for comments from the CIRB have yet to be addressed.
Additionally, other unions joined the picket lines in Toronto to show their solidarity with the flight attendants. Natasha Steer, an Air Canada flight attendant and local union president, remarked that attendees were present because they believe their rights are being eroded.
Air Canada had already started to cancel flights ahead of the anticipated strike suspension.
Travelers at Toronto Pearson International Airport expressed confusion about whether their flights would resume or if alternative arrangements would be made for Air Canada operations.
Elizabeth Flo from Vancouver shared her uncertainty, stating they felt left to fend for themselves without adequate support from the airline.
A primary issue remaining is the union’s demand for compensation related to time spent grounded while aiding passengers during boarding and other flight assistance duties, as attendants typically only receive pay when flights are actively operating.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is pushing for a negotiated solution, arguing that any pressure from binding arbitration could lead to adverse outcomes for airlines.
Air Canada confirmed that the CIRB had ordered terms related to the collective agreement between the airline and the coalition, which had lapsed on March 31.
