Flight attendants end strike after reaching agreement with Air Canada
The strike by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flight attendants, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees National, has ended after three days of grounded flights.
The strike by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flight attendants, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees National, has ended after three days of grounded flights.
The national public workers union announced Tuesday that Flight Attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge have reached a tentative agreement.
“Unpaid work is over. We have reclaimed our voice and our power,” CUPE National said in the statement. “When our rights were taken away, we stood strong, we fought back — and we secured a tentative agreement that our members can vote on.”
This comes just days after Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government through Jobs minister Paddy Hadju declared the flight attendant strike unlawful and directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board to force arbitration.
On Monday, Hadju said ideally the two parties would reach an agreement without forced arbitration. CUPE leadership vowed to stay on the picket line, even if it meant facing arrest, charges, and fines.
Details of the agreement are not yet available to members, but unions are advising their membership to return to work and resume operations.
According to CUPE Ontario, the union worked from 7 pm Monday to 4: 23 am to reach the deal with the help of the unions Chief Mediator William Kaplan whom both party’s agreed to as a mediator.
Air Canada similarly released a statement Tuesday morning confirming that the strike has ended and a tentative agreement reached.
The airline announced flights are scheduled for Tuesday evening, but warned customers that it could take seven to 10 days to return to full regular service as “aircraft and crew are out of position.”
Some flights might be cancelled during that 10-day window.
“The suspension of our service is extremely difficult for our customers. We deeply regret and apologize for the impact on them of this labour disruption. Our priority now is to get them moving as quickly as possible,” Michael Rousseau, the president and CEO of Air Canada said in the statement.
“Restarting a major carrier like Air Canada is a complex undertaking. Full restoration may require a week or more, so we ask for our customers’ patience and understanding over the coming days. I assure them that everyone at Air Canada is doing everything possible to enable them to travel soon.”
Air Canada declined to comment on the agreement until the ratification process was completed.
“During any ratification or under the binding arbitration process, a strike or lockout is not possible, meaning customers can plan, book and travel with Air Canada with certainty,” the statement said.
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