Canada Urges Air Canada, Union to Resume Talks as Strike Nears

 

Canadian Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu has called on Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) to resume negotiations to prevent a flight attendants’ strike set to begin on Saturday. CUPE, which represents 10,000 flight attendants, says the airline has been absent from bargaining since Tuesday and has ignored a proposal submitted earlier this week. The union accuses Air Canada of trying to push the federal government to intervene rather than negotiate directly. In a statement, Hajdu confirmed Air Canada had requested the dispute be referred to binding arbitration. She has asked CUPE to respond to that request. CUPE has previously opposed binding arbitration, insisting instead on a negotiated settlement. Air Canada has not commented publicly on the talks. The strike threat comes during the peak of summer travel and could severely disrupt Canada’s tourism sector. On Wednesday, Air Canada began winding down operations ahead of the potential walkout, though FlightAware data showed just four cancellations as of Thursday morning. The carrier, along with Air Canada Rouge, serves about 130,000 customers daily and is the largest foreign airline serving the United States.

If flight attendants strike on Saturday, it would trigger widespread travel disruption across Canada and the U.S., as Air Canada is a major operator on transborder routes. The Montreal-based airline carries more passengers to the U.S. than any other foreign carrier, making the dispute a cross-border concern. United Airlines, a code-share partner of Air Canada, has already issued a travel waiver and is working to rebook affected customers. The looming strike could also have significant economic effects on Canada’s tourism and hospitality industries, particularly during one of the busiest travel periods of the year. The dispute centers on stalled contract negotiations. CUPE claims Air Canada has “been completely missing in action” since Tuesday evening and accuses the company of relying on government intervention instead of direct engagement. Air Canada has requested binding arbitration, but CUPE maintains that only a negotiated agreement will be acceptable to its members. With flights already being wound down and passengers facing uncertainty, both sides are under pressure to find a resolution before Saturday’s deadline. If no deal is reached, the strike could become one of the most disruptive labor actions in the Canadian airline industry in recent years.

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