Air Canada Resumes Flights After Government Ends Cabin Crew Strike, Extends Contract Negotiations

Air Canada, following government intervention, will reinstate flights later today, after a cabin crew strike on Saturday led to the suspension of approximately 700 daily flights, leaving over 100,000 passengers stranded.

The industrial action marked the first walkout by Air Canada flight attendants since 1985, following months of contract negotiations. The airline expects some disruptions to continue for the next 7-10 days as normal operations are restored, having initiated cancellations on Friday in anticipation of the strike.

The Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) has mandated Air Canada to resume operations and ordered all flight attendants to return to duty by 2 p.m. ET (1800 GMT). This decision was prompted by a directive from the country’s Jobs Minister, Patty Hajdu, as the government moves to end the strike and instigate binding arbitration to resolve a contract deadlock.

The primary contentious point in contract negotiations has been the union’s demand for compensation during ground time between flights and passenger boarding. Currently, attendants are remunerated only when their plane is in motion.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) had advocated for a negotiated settlement, stating that binding arbitration would alleviate pressure on the airline. Air Canada announced on Sunday that the CIRB has extended the terms of the expired collective agreement between the union and the airline until a new deal is reached.

The CUPE has yet to respond to a request for comment from Reuters. This article will be updated with further details as they become available.