Union activists maintain placards, as they interrupt a press convention by Air Canada executives, forward of a possible strike by Air Canada flight attendants, at a lodge in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, August 14, 2025.
Kyaw Soe Oo | Reuters
Air Canada flight attendants mentioned on Sunday they may stay on strike and spurn a authorities return-to-work order they referred to as unconstitutional that may ship them again to their duties by 2 p.m. ET (1800 GMT).
The Canadian Union of Public Workers mentioned in an announcement that members would stay on strike and invited Air Canada again to the desk to “negotiate a good deal.”
On Saturday, the Canadian authorities beneath Prime Minister Mark Carney moved to finish a strike by greater than 10,000 flight attendants on the nation’s largest provider.
The Canadian Industrial Relations Board agreed to a authorities request to order binding arbitration and finish the strike to interrupt their contract deadlock, an motion Air Canada had sought however unionized flight attendants fiercely opposed.
The Canada Labour Code offers the federal government the ability to ask the CIRB to impose binding arbitration within the curiosity of defending the financial system.
The federal government, beneath former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, intervened final yr to go off rail and dock strikes that threatened to cripple the financial system, however it’s uncommon for a union to defy a CIRB order.
Air Canada had mentioned it deliberate to renew flights on Sunday night, following the anticipated finish of the strike that precipitated the suspension of round 700 every day flights on Saturday, stranding greater than 100,000 passengers.
Air Canada flight attendants walked off the job on Saturday for the primary time since 1985, after months of negotiations over a brand new contract.
The union referred to as a choice by the CIRB chair Maryse Tremblay to not recuse herself from dealing with the case a “staggering battle of curiosity,” since she had labored as a senior counsel for Air Canada up to now. In accordance with Tremblay’s LinkedIn profile, she served as Air Canada’s counsel from 1998 to 2004.
Air Canada, the CIRB and a Canadian authorities spokesperson weren’t instantly out there for remark.
Air Canada had mentioned some flights would nonetheless be canceled over the following seven to 10 days. It had began cancelling flights on Thursday in anticipation of the stoppage.
Essentially the most contentious problem has been the union’s demand for compensation for time spent on the bottom between flights and when serving to passengers board. Attendants are largely paid solely when their airplane is transferring.
CUPE had pushed for a negotiated resolution, saying binding arbitration would take strain off the airline.
Air Canada mentioned on Sunday that the CIRB had ordered the phrases of the collective settlement between the union and the airline that expired on March 31 be prolonged till a brand new settlement may be reached.
