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Workers at Canada’s flagship carrier defy back-to-work order as they stage first strike in 40 years.
Air Canada flight attendants have said they will remain on strike despite a government-backed labour board’s order to return to work by 2pm ET (18:00 GMT), which they described as unconstitutional.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees said in a statement on Sunday that members would remain on strike and invited Air Canada back to the table to “negotiate a fair deal”.
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Canada’s largest airline now says it will resume flights on Monday evening. The strike was already affecting about 130,000 travellers around the world per day during the peak summer travel season.
The Canadian government on Saturday moved to end a strike by more than 10,000 flight attendants at the country’s largest carrier by asking the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to order binding arbitration.
The Canada Labour Code gives the government the power to ask the CIRB to impose binding arbitration in the interest of protecting the economy. The CIRB issued the order, which Air Canada had sought, and unionised flight attendants opposed it.
It is unusual for a union to defy a CIRB order. It was not immediately clear what options the government has if the union continues its strike.
Air Canada flight attendants walked off the job on Saturday for the first time since 1985, after months of negotiations over a new contract.
Natasha Stea, an Air Canada flight attendant and local union president, told Reuters that other unions joined the flight attendants’ picket line in solidarity in Toronto on Sunday.
“They are in support here today because they are seeing our rights being eroded,” Stea said.
The most contentious issue has been the union’s demand for compensation for time spent on the ground between flights and when helping passengers board. Attendants are largely paid only when their plane is moving.
Workers are also unhappy with Air Canada’s proposed wage hikes and other compensation terms, which they see as insufficient to keep pace with inflation or match the federal minimum wage.
