Air Canada flight attendants continued their strike for the fourth straight day on Tuesday, even as union officials confirmed that talks with the airline had resumed. The ongoing disruption has led to flight cancellations affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers during the peak summer travel season.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees’ (CUPE) refusal to follow a federal labour board order for the flight attendants to return to work has created a three-way standoff between the company, workers, and the government. It has also raised the stakes in a dispute that is now closely watched by other labour groups.
The union had met with Air Canada and mediator William Kaplan in Toronto, CUPE said in a statement on Facebook late Monday. The strike is still on, it said.
The two sides had not spoken since before the strike began. A source said there are discussions being held on whether to hold mediation, but with the condition that the flight attendants return to work.
Govt. Promises Investigation
Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu had urged both sides to consider government mediation and raised pressure on Air Canada, promising to investigate allegations of unpaid work in the airline sector, a key complaint of flight attendants who say they are not paid for work on the ground. Flight attendants have for months argued new contracts should include pay for work done on the ground, such as boarding passengers.
Air Canada’s CEO in a Reuters interview defended the airline’s offer of a 38% boost to flight attendants’ total compensation on Monday but acknowledged a big gap with the union’s demands and stopped short of offering plans to break the deadlock.
The union has said Air Canada’s offer only accounts for 17.2% higher wages over four years.
Risking Jail Time
CUPE’s leader said earlier he would risk jail time rather than allow cabin crews to be forced back to work by the labour board, which declared the strike unlawful.
The union says the strike will continue until the carrier negotiates on wages and unpaid work, even after the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) declared the strike unlawful.
Retiree Klaus Hickman missed a flight to Toronto earlier in the week. While he rebooked on another airline, he was concerned about returning to Calgary on time for a connecting flight to Germany.
Hickman sympathizes with workers demanding better pay but is worried about his own health and travel challenges. “They want to get more money to survive. And so, it is with everybody else,” he said.
Canada’s largest carrier normally carries 130,000 people daily and is part of the global Star Alliance of airlines.
Sleeping In Airports
James Numfor, 38, from Regina, Saskatchewan, has been stranded in Toronto for two nights since returning from Cameroon for his brother’s funeral. Air Canada only provided one night in a hotel for his family before leaving them without further support, he said.
“We sleep in the airport … we find any place comfortable with the kids, they just lay down,” Numfor said.
Numfor said passengers feel abandoned in a dispute between management and unions.
Government’s Options
The government’s options to force an end to the strike include asking courts to enforce the order to return to work and seeking an expedited hearing.
The minority government could also try to pass legislation that would need the support of political rivals and approval in both houses of parliament, which are on break until September 15, but has so far been cautious.
Support From Other Labour Orgs
Other labour organisations are voicing support for the flight attendants. Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress, Canada’s largest labour organisation, told Reuters they are ready to join the Air Canada strike if necessary.
“All cards are on the table in terms of what unions are prepared to do to ramp up a fightback campaign,” said Bruske, whose organisation represents 3 million workers across Canada. Help could include financial contributions to cover legal costs for CUPE, she said.
Air Canada’s pilot union, the Air Line Pilots’ Association, said it encouraged its members to join the picket lines during their time off.
“Air Canada pilots support our flight attendant colleagues in their ongoing struggle to achieve the fair contract they have earned,” it said in a statement. “This is an important moment for organised labour across Canada.”
(With inputs from Reuters)
