Union criticises move less than 12 hours after start of action that has left more than 100,000 travellers stranded
The Canadian government has forced flight attendants at Air Canada back to work less than 12 hours after they began striking and ordered binding arbitration over a dispute that has left more than 100,000 travellers stranded around the world during the peak summer travel season.
Since March, Canada’s largest airline and the union representing its flight attendants have been locked in an increasingly bitter dispute over what the union has described as “poverty wages” and unpaid labour. Flight attendants are not paid for any work before or after the plane takes off.
On Saturday, Canada’s federal jobs minister, Patty Hajdu, said it was clear the talks had reached an impasse and that the impact was being felt by Canadians and visitors across the country.
“The talks broke down,” said Hajdu as she told reporters that she had asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order an immediate end to the strike and to impose binding arbitration. “It is clear that the parties are not any closer to resolving some of the key issues that remain and they will need help with the arbitrator.”
