Air Canada Attendants Challenge Government’s Back-to-Work Directive
(MENAFN) Roughly 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants have openly defied a federal back-to-work directive issued by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), escalating a nationwide disruption that’s already grounded hundreds of flights and affected half a million travelers.
The CIRB ruled the strike unlawful and ordered a full and immediate return to duty. Air Canada said the stoppage is forcing the cancellation of about 700 flights daily, with an estimated 500,000 passengers caught in the crossfire.
Despite the ruling, the union representing the attendants remains defiant. "We will not be returning to the skies this afternoon," declared Mark Hancock, national president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), during a press briefing, according to media.
The dispute centers on demands for improved wages and changes to pre-flight compensation structures.
"If it means folks like me going to jail, then so be it. If it means our union being fined, then so be it," Hancock said.
He also condemned the CIRB and Air Canada for what he described as an assault on collective bargaining rights.
“None of us want to be in defiance of the law,” he stated. “We're looking for a solution here. Our members want a solution here. But that solution has to be found at a bargaining table."
The strike began Saturday and shows no sign of immediate resolution. Prime Minister Mark Carney weighed in Monday, urging fair compensation for flight attendants and calling for swift negotiations to end the standoff.
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