TORONTO — A dramatic escalation in the ongoing labour dispute between Air Canada and its flight attendants has left thousands of travellers in limbo as a strike and subsequent lockout unfolded over the weekend.
In the early hours of August 16, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) announced that over 10,000 flight attendants from Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge walked off the job shortly before 1 a.m. ET. This prompted Air Canada to respond with a lockout that took effect at 1:30 a.m. ET, leading to the cancellation of all flights.
Within hours, the federal Liberal government intervened, directing the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to enforce a back-to-work order. Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs, stated that this action was deemed critical for maintaining industrial peace and protecting the interests of Canadians and visitors who might be affected by flight disruptions. Hajdu emphasized that Air Canada plays a vital role in transporting essential goods, including pharmaceuticals, stating that over 40% of these shipments are facilitated by the airline.
On August 17, following the arbitration mandate, Air Canada announced plans to resume operations, although it warned of potential flight cancellations while they worked to stabilize their schedule over the next week or so.
However, later that day, CUPE rejected the back-to-work order, asserting their members would continue to strike and called for further negotiations with Air Canada. The union subsequently filed a challenge against the CIRB’s order in Federal Court.
CUPE national president Mark Hancock made headlines by publicly tearing up the back-to-work order outside Toronto’s Pearson Airport, declaring, “Our members are not going back to work.”
In light of these developments, Air Canada revised its flight resumption plans and announced cancellations of all flights until further notice. Passengers whose flights were impacted by the cancellations will have the option for a full refund or the opportunity to modify their travel arrangements without incurring additional fees. However, according to Canada’s airline passenger protection regulations, affected customers may not receive compensation for expenses resulting from delays outside the airline’s control.
Where Do Things Stand Now?
As of August 18, the CIRB issued a ruling declaring the ongoing strike actions by Air Canada’s flight attendants as unlawful, mandating CUPE’s leadership to instruct its members to return to work immediately. CIRB vice-chairperson Jennifer Webster issued a directive emphasizing that any unlawful strike activities must cease, commanding that all union members perform their duties immediately.
Due to these ongoing actions, Air Canada has reported an estimated cancellation of approximately 500,000 flights, impacting a significant number of customers. Despite the CIRB’s ruling, flight attendants are expected to maintain their picket lines on August 18.
Air Canada has decided to suspend its forecasts for third-quarter and full-year 2025 operating results, citing the labour disruptions as a contributing factor.
In response to the turmoil, Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed disappointment regarding the lack of resolution after eight months of negotiations, urging both parties to find a solution.
Support for Flight Attendants
The labour dispute has drawn widespread attention, and several unions have voiced their support for Air Canada’s flight attendants. Unifor, which is Canada’s largest private-sector union representing 320,000 workers, condemned the government’s imposition of binding arbitration. Unifor National President Lana Payne stated that the government’s intervention undermines workers’ rights to fair negotiations.
The Canadian Labour Congress also rallied in support of CUPE, denouncing the federal government’s actions as unconstitutional. A statement from the Congress mentioned that heads of various unions convened to coordinate a collective response and support the flight attendants, affirming the unity of the labour movement against any infringement on workers’ rights.
“The labour movement is united and standing firm, and we will not allow these Charter-protected rights to be trampled upon,” the Congress stated.
For updated information on this ongoing situation, stakeholders and travellers can monitor developments through credible news sources and official announcements from Air Canada.
