More than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants who began striking early Saturday will be compelled to return to work by the Canada Industrial Relations Board, Canadian Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu announced on Saturday.
The announcement follows Air Canada’s suspension of all operations in response to the walkout.
Speaking at a news conference in Ottawa, Hajdu said she had instructed the CIRB to direct both Air Canada and its employees to “resume and continue their operations and duties in order to secure industrial peace and protect the interests of Canada, Canadians and the economy.”
The government acted under Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, which permits the minister to request an arbitrator’s involvement in labor disputes.
Air Canada had formally asked for government intervention under Section 107 on Tuesday, according to the Canadian Union of Public Employees in a statement on Friday.
In a statement to CNN, Air Canada said it was “premature to comment as the CIRB process is underway” and noted it was too early to provide details on restarting operations.
“We still ask customers not to go to the airport unless they have a confirmed booking and their flight is shown as operating,” the airline added, directing travelers to check the company website, mobile app, or local airport updates for current information.
Hajdu noted that the CIRB would also facilitate a settlement and extend the terms of the existing collective agreement.
The strike was overwhelmingly supported by Air Canada flight attendants, with 99.7% voting in favor. They began their system-wide work stoppage around 1 a.m. ET Saturday.
CUPE’s Air Canada component is pushing for higher wages and compensation for time spent on the ground.
“Now, when we’re at the bargaining table with an obstinate employer, the Liberals are violating our Charter rights to take job action and give Air Canada exactly what they want – hours and hours of unpaid labour from underpaid flight attendants, while the company pulls in sky-high profits and extraordinary executive compensation,” said Wesley Lesosky, president of the Air Canada component of CUPE.
Hajdu rejected claims that the government is anti-union, stressing that it was clear Air Canada and its flight attendants were “at an impasse” and “they need some help in arbitrating the final items.”
Air Canada stated that it had offered a 38% increase in total compensation over four years, with hourly raises of 12% to 16% in the first year, claiming the offer would make its flight attendants “the best compensated in Canada.”
As of 11:00 a.m. ET, 662 Air Canada flights had been canceled, including 342 domestic and 320 international flights, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. FlightAware reported that 86% of Air Canada flights and 96% of Air Canada Rouge flights were canceled.
“The impact of the work stoppage at Air Canada that began early this morning is already being felt by travelers. This is causing significant harm and has negative impacts on Canadians and the Canadian economy,” Hajdu said, noting that the strike left pharmaceuticals without transport and stranded thousands of Canadians.
WestJet, Canada’s second-largest airline, told CNN that it was deploying larger aircraft on major routes and adding a limited number of extra flights while monitoring the strike’s effects, which Air Canada estimates could affect roughly 130,000 passengers daily if the suspension continues.
When asked when normal flight operations might resume, Hajdu said the CIRB would review statements from both Air Canada and the union before deciding on intervention.
“Don’t want to speculate, because it is a process. But in general, sometimes it can take 24 to 48 hours for the board to complete that work,” she said, adding that “Air Canada said it could take between 5 to 10 days for regular services to resume.”