Air Canada and the union representing 10,000 striking flight attendants resumed initial talks on Monday night, the first contact in nearly a week, according to a statement from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).
The walkout, which began Saturday after contract talks broke down, has disrupted travel for hundreds of thousands of passengers. Despite the Canada Industrial Relations Board declaring the strike illegal, CUPE has refused to return to work. The latest discussions are taking place in Toronto with mediator William Kaplan, the union confirmed on Facebook.
Before the meeting, the two sides had not spoken since the strike began. Sources told Reuters that talks include whether to enter formal mediation-on the condition that flight attendants go back to work.
Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu has urged both sides to reach a settlement quickly. Air Canada CEO Mike Rousseau defended the airline’s compensation proposal, saying it would increase pay by 38%, though he acknowledged a “big gap” remains with the union’s demands. Hours later, Hajdu escalated pressure by launching a probe into airline pay practices, saying a negotiated deal would deliver the “best outcome.”
The union, however, has stood firm, insisting the strike will continue until pay and unpaid work issues are addressed. Flight attendants want higher wages and payment for time spent on boarding and ground duties, which currently goes unpaid. Hajdu said she was surprised by the allegations of unpaid labour and has ordered an investigation into the wider airline sector.
Union leaders said they are prepared to risk jail rather than accept a back-to-work order. Rousseau called the strike unlawful and damaging to customers and the company’s reputation but said Air Canada remains open to dialogue. The airline claims its four-year offer represents a 17.2% pay increase, while CUPE says that is not enough.
Prime Minister Mark Carney appealed for a resolution, warning that “hundreds of thousands of Canadians and visitors” were being caught up in the dispute. The strike, now in its third day, has forced Air Canada to suspend its financial guidance for the year and sent its shares down nearly 3%. The carrier, which flies about 130,000 people daily as part of Star Alliance, is already under pressure from reduced U.S. bookings.
Passenger frustration is also mounting. Some, such as Winnipeg resident Danna Wu, expressed sympathy for the attendants’ demands but criticised the disruption, saying travellers were being left “in chaos.”
The Canadian government has several options, including court enforcement of the labour board’s order or legislation to end the strike. While Ottawa has previously intervened in major labour disputes, it is rare for a union to openly defy the CIRB, raising the stakes in an already tense standoff.
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are m...
German voters cast ballots on Sunday in two state elections that could add to the political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his governmen...
Iraq has returned restricted airspace across the western part of the country to civilian authorities, ending limits imposed for military operations...
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said a Togo-flagged oil tanker was struck while attempting to make an “illegal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media said early on Friday.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
The European Union will disburse €3.3 billion ($3.8 billion) to Ukraine for missiles and drones, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
German voters cast ballots on Sunday in two state elections that could add to the political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his government faces growing public frustration and a resurgent far right.
Iraq has returned restricted airspace across the western part of the country to civilian authorities, ending limits imposed for military operations against Islamic State since 2016, the Transport Ministry said.
Denmark and Greenland have moved to reassure the public that their sovereignty will remain intact under a new security agreement with the United States.
World leaders are set to gather at the United Nations General Assembly in New York for several days of high-level debate, with Iran, Ukraine, artificial intelligence (AI) and a range of global crises expected to dominate discussions this week.
Ed Sheeran has broken his silence on the controversy surrounding his U.S. tour, apologising for decisions made after rapper Macklemore was removed from the line-up over his public support for Palestine.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment