Air Canada’s flight attendants went on strike on Saturday, prompting the airline to announce a complete shutdown of operations. The shutdown has created travel chaos for its 130,000 daily passengers.
“We are now officially on strike,” the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents Air Canada’s 10,000 flight attendants, said in a statement. Air Canada, which flies directly to 180 cities worldwide, confirmed that it has suspended all operations in response to the work stoppage.
The union gained legal standing to strike at 12:01 am, after issuing a 72-hour strike notice on Wednesday. The strike officially began at 12:58 am, both sides confirmed. Air Canada had already been gradually winding down operations ahead of the anticipated labor action.
As of 8:00 pm Friday, the airline said it had cancelled nearly 623 flights, affecting more than 100,000 passengers. Its entire 700-flight daily schedule was scrapped for Saturday.
The striking workers are demanding wage increases and compensation for unpaid ground duties, including tasks performed during the boarding process. Rafael Gomez, head of the University of Toronto’s Centre for Industrial Relations, told AFOA that it is “common practice, even around the world,” to compensate flight attendants only for time spent in the air.
The union has also rejected requests from both the federal government and Air Canada to resolve outstanding issues through independent arbitration. Flight attendants, paid strictly for airtime, argue that their campaign has effectively highlighted the unfairness of this system, generating strong public support.
Air Canada, in a statement on Thursday, detailed its latest offer, noting that under the proposed terms, a senior flight attendant would, on average, earn CAN$87,000 ($65,000) by 2027. In a statement issued before the strike began, the Business Council of Canada warned that an Air Canada stoppage could worsen Canada’s already fragile economic situation.
“At a time when Canada is dealing with unprecedented pressures on our critical economic supply chains, the disruption of national air passenger travel and cargo transport services would cause immediate and extensive harm to all Canadians,” it said.
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