Air Canada flight attendant to avoid back-to-work order, stay on strike: Union
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) told Radio-Canada on Sunday that Air Canada flight attendants would avoid back-to-work order and will remain on strike following orders for the federal government to work binding to work.
CUPE said in a statement that members would be on strike and would invite Air Canada back to “interact on a proper deal” at the table.
“We will clearly challenge this unconstitutional order that violates the charter rights of 10,000 flight attendants, of which 70 percent of which are women, and 100 percent of which 100 percent are forced to do unpaid work every time for hours to work every time by their employers.”
Air Canada and a Canadian government spokesperson were not immediately available for comments.
Earlier this morning, the airline at Montreal announced that it planned to resume flights starting on Sunday evening, when the Canadian government issued a instruction to end a cabin crew strike, causing a suspension of about 700 daily flights, which led to over 100,000 passengers.
- Today, the cross country checkup is asking: Should the government be forced to return to work in Air Canada? How are you affected by strike? Leave your comment Here And we can read it or call it back to our show later this afternoon!
Lillian Speedi, vice president of Cupe Local 4092, told the CBC news network in a picket line outside Toronto Piercen International Airport in Mississaga on Sunday, “I don’t think anyone doesn’t think anyone is in the mood to go back to work.”
“12 hours after starting us to work back to us back to make laws? I am sorry, the snow storm has shut down air Canada, as we were allowed to strike.”
The federal government is stepping into a steps to resolve a labor dispute between Air Canada and the Sangh, which represents a flight attendant, the job minister Patty Hazdu revealed on Saturday. Hazdu told reporters that it was ordering to resume binding arbitration and operation.
The federal government went to bring back the airline and its flight attendants to work on Saturday, less than 12 hours after the strike and lockout came into effect. The Sangh has accused the federal job minister Patty Hazdu of caving for the demands of Air Canada.
Air Canada said that on Sunday, the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) was directed to resume operations and flight attendants return to their duties up to ET at 2 pm.
It said that CIRB ordered the conditions of the collective agreement between the Union and the airline ending March 31 until a new agreement was reached.
CUPE announced in early Saturday that its members were going to picket lines after being unable to reach the 11th hour deal with the airline, while Air Canada closed its agents after about 30 minutes due to the strike action.
Air Canada depends on government aid: Labor experts
Associate Professor and Labor Geographer at York University, Steven Tufts, says Air Canada has become dependent on the federal government to resolve its labor-relations issues.
He referred to the previous year’s dispute between the airline and the pilots union. Air Canada asked the government to be ready to step into a temporary agreement in September 2024.
“(Air Canada) tried to intervene with the pilots to the government last year,” Tufts told the CBC News Network.
“Air Canada has to learn not to call Mummy and Daddy every time when they reach a deadlock on the bargaining table. They actually have to sit and make a deal with their workers.”
Earlier this week, Air Canada asked Hazdu to order the parties to enter a binding arbitration process. But the intervention was something that he opposed by Saturday afternoon when he said that it became clear that both sides were on a deadlock.
Cupe retained it, it opposed mediation, instead preferred to solve the deadlock through bargaining. It said that his decision “sets a terrible example.”
The Sangh wrote in a statement on Saturday afternoon, “The Liberal government is rewarding Air Canada’s refusal, giving them what they wanted.”
Both sides are ready to return to the table this week.
The Sangh accused Air Canada that the government refused to bargain in good confidence due to the government’s possibility of stepping on and the possibility of implementing arbitration.
It has stated that its main glued marks revolve around the wages that have been out of inflation during their last 10 years of contract, as well as when the aircraft are not in the air with unpaid labor.
CUPE announced that it is taking a national day action and will be protesters outside Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary Airports this morning.
Flights were not affected by the third-party Airlines Jazz and Pal run by Air Canada Express run by Pal.
The airline says that customers who were canceled and they could not travel or accept return will be informed and provided with a new journey program.
