On Saturday, the Canadian government mandated the country’s largest airline and the union representing flight attendants to enter arbitration following a strike that left over 100,000 travelers stranded globally during the summer.
Labor Minister Patty Hajdu stated it is not the time to take risks with the economy as she announced the intervention.
Approximately 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants, part of the fifth largest airline in North America, notified the company of their intent to strike on Saturday due to a deadlock in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. The negotiations, which started eight months ago, focus on working conditions and wages.
In addition to a salary increase, the flight staff also demand compensation for ground working hours, including during boarding, which has not been recognized until now.
The contract dispute between Air Canada and the union representing 10,000 flight attendants escalated on Friday when the union structure rejected the airline’s request to enter government arbitration, a move that would have eliminated the right to strike and allowed a mediator to decide the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement.
