Air Canada delays restart after flight attendants strike — despite order to return

Air Canada flight attendants continued their strike on Sunday, defying a government-backed labor board’s order to return to work. This led to the country’s largest airline delaying the resumption of operations.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees stated that its members would stay on strike and urged Air Canada to come back to the negotiating table for a fair deal, deeming the order to end the strike unconstitutional.

Air Canada announced plans to postpone the restart of operations from Sunday to Monday evening.

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal government intervened on Saturday to end the strike by over 10,000 flight attendants by requesting the Canada Industrial Relations Board to mandate binding arbitration.

The CIRB issued the order, which Air Canada had requested, but the unionized flight attendants opposed.

The Canada Labor Code grants the government the authority to seek binding arbitration to safeguard the economy.

The government’s options to resolve the strike include enforcing the return-to-work order through the courts and expediting a hearing. Another option is to pass legislation, which would require support from political rivals and approval in both houses of parliament, currently on break until September 15.

The government did not provide any comments in response to requests.

“The federal government has entrusted a board to administer these rules in the Canadian Labor Code, and if you defy them, you are transgressing and essentially violating the law,” said Rafael Gomez, a professor of employment relations at the University of Toronto.

The government, under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, intervened last year to avert rail and dock strikes that posed a threat to the economy. However, it is uncommon for a union to defy a CIRB order.

Air Canada flight attendants went on strike on Saturday for the first time since 1985, following months of negotiations for a new contract.

Air Canada had initially planned to resume flights on Sunday evening after the expected end of the strike, which led to the suspension of approximately 700 daily flights on Saturday, affecting over 100,000 passengers.

The union criticized CIRB Chair Maryse Tremblay for not recusing herself from the case, citing a conflict of interest as she had previously worked as a senior counsel for Air Canada. According to Tremblay’s LinkedIn profile, she served as Air Canada’s counsel from 1998 to 2004.

The CIRB did not respond to requests for comment.

Other unions showed solidarity with the flight attendants by joining the picket line in Toronto on Sunday.

“They are showing support today because they see our rights being eroded,” said Natasha Stea, an Air Canada flight attendant and local union president.

Air Canada had started canceling flights on Thursday in anticipation of the strike.

Travelers at Toronto Pearson International Airport expressed confusion about the status of their flights and whether Air Canada would provide alternative arrangements.

“We are left to figure it out on our own with no options or assistance from Air Canada at this time,” said Elizabeth Fourney from Vancouver.

The main point of contention has been the union’s demand for compensation for time spent on the ground between flights and assisting passengers during boarding.

Flight attendants are predominantly paid only when the aircraft is in motion.

CUPE advocated for a negotiated solution, stating that binding arbitration would alleviate pressure on the airline.

Air Canada announced on Sunday that the CIRB had mandated the extension of the terms of the expired collective agreement between the union and the airline until a new agreement is reached.