Canadian Government Moves to End Air Canada Strike, Seeks Binding Arbitration
The Canadian government is intervening in the Air Canada strike, requesting binding arbitration to end the work stoppage affecting over 100,000 passengers.
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The Government of Canada announced on Saturday its decision to intervene in the strike initiated by Air Canada's cabin crews, requesting the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to impose binding arbitration to resolve the deadlocked contract dispute. The move comes after the country's largest airline canceled nearly all of its 700 daily flights, stranding more than 100,000 travelers.
The strike, led by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), began in the early hours of Saturday, August 16, following months of unsuccessful negotiations. The airline, anticipating the action, suspended its operations and advised passengers against coming to airports.
Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu stated at a news conference, "This is not a decision that I've taken lightly, but the potential for immediate negative impact on Canadians and our economy is simply too great." Hajdu emphasized that while the government prefers negotiated settlements, the current impasse showed that the parties would not reach a solution soon enough to spare the economy further damage.
The most contentious issue in the negotiations is the union's demand for its more than 10,000 members to be compensated for time spent on the ground performing operational duties, such as passenger boarding or waiting between flights. Currently, flight attendants are only paid when the aircraft is in motion.
In addition to this claim, there is a disagreement over the general wage increase. Air Canada offered a 38% increase in total compensation over four years, while the union is seeking parity with the conditions achieved by their colleagues at Air Transat, who secured a 30% compounded increase over five years, making them the highest-paid in the Canadian industry.
Key Questions About the Air Canada Strike
Why are they on strike? Primarily to demand payment for work time on the ground, such as boarding, which is currently unpaid.
How many flights were canceled? Air Canada suspended nearly 700 daily flights, affecting over 100,000 passengers.
What is binding arbitration? It is a process where a neutral third party (an arbitrator appointed by the CIRB) imposes a binding contractual solution on both parties, thus ending the strike.
When will flights resume? Air Canada estimates it will need four to five days to fully resume operations once the CIRB orders an end to the strike.
Mixed Reactions
The union's response to the government's intervention was swift and sharp. In a statement, CUPE claimed, "The Liberal government is rewarding Air Canada's refusal to negotiate fairly by giving them exactly what they wanted."
Henly Larden, a CUPE vice-president and Air Canada flight attendant, called the government's move "incredibly disgusting" from Vancouver airport, urging the airline to "come and join us in good faith and address the matters that really resonate with our members."
For its part, Air Canada stated that "it is premature to comment as the CIRB process is underway." The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, however, supported the government's action, calling it "the right decision" to protect the economy and passengers.
The strike will continue until the Industrial Relations Board issues the arbitration order, a process that union sources say could take several days. Meanwhile, the operations of Air Canada's regional affiliates, such as Air Canada Jazz and PAL Airlines, are operating as usual.
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