Over 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada initiated a 72-hour strike, leading to the suspension of all flights and significant travel disruptions. The dispute centers around salary increases and compensation for ground work, with the airline's latest offer deemed inadequate by the union.
Air Canada Cabin Staff Strike Grounds Flights, Disrupts Travel for Thousands
Air Canada Cabin Staff Strike Grounds Flights, Disrupts Travel for Thousands
A strike by Air Canada flight attendants has led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights, impacting around 130,000 passengers as labor negotiations falter.
Air Canada has grounded all its flights following the onset of a strike by cabin staff, posing serious disruptions for an estimated 130,000 travelers each day. The union, representing over 10,000 flight attendants, initiated a 72-hour industrial action early Saturday morning, prompting the airline to suspend all its operations, including those under its budget subsidiary, Air Canada Rouge. Customers affected by the disruptions have been warned against heading to the airport unless they are flying with an alternate carrier.
The strike became effective at 00:58 ET (04:58 GMT), with Air Canada preemptively scaling down its services prior. The airline reported that approximately 500 flights would be impacted daily by the strike, with flight attendants planning picket lines at major Canadian airports where passengers were already anxious to reschedule their travel plans prior to the labor action.
Air Canada issued a statement expressing regret over the inconvenience caused to customers. By Friday night alone, 623 flights had already been cancelled, affecting over 100,000 passengers in anticipation of the strike's start. In the current contract negotiations, the airline proposed a 38% increase in total compensation over a four-year period, including a 25% raise in the first year. However, the union, CUPE, criticized the offer as "below inflation, below market value, below minimum wage," asserting it would still leave flight attendants underpaid for certain tasks including those performed while aircraft are on the ground.
The contract discussions have descended into public sparring between the airline and the union regarding each party's negotiation strategies. The Canadian jobs minister, Patty Hajdu, recently encouraged both Air Canada and CUPE to resume negotiations to resolve the dispute without further strikes. Meanwhile, CUPE accused Air Canada of failing to negotiate in good faith, asserting that the airline sought government intervention instead of engaging in genuine discussions.
Earlier this month, an overwhelming 99.7% of union members voted in favor of a strike if negotiations failed. Air Canada now faces increasing pressure to work towards a resolution as passengers continue to feel the ramifications of this labor conflict across the nation.
