Barely the strike launched, the Federal Minister of Employment, Patty Hajdu, forced Air Canada on Saturday to return to work. But neither this announcement nor the heat prevented the employees, brought together by the hundreds, from demonstrating in front of Montreal-Trudeau airport.
“This is really a lack of respect,” reacted a demonstrator on the strike stake on Saturday afternoon, who requested anonymity since the Air Canada on-board agents received the directive not to address the media directly.
Read “Tops of Air Canada flights: what options for travelers?” »»
“I do not understand what the government comes to do in it,” said another participant. In the crowd, signs carried in particular the inscription ” Hajdu, hands off our negotiations ! [Hajdu, ne touche pas à nos négociations !] ».
In March, the previous contract between the airline and the Air Canada component of the Canadian Public Service Syndicate (SCFP), in force since 2015, expired. Without being able to conclude a last -minute agreement, the union, which represents more than 10,000 on -board agents, triggered a strike shortly before 1 hour on Saturday. In response, Air Canada has announced a lockout.
But now, in mid-day, Minister Patty Hajdu intervened.
Photo Kyle Duggan, Canadian Press
The Minister of Employment and Families, Patty Hajdu
At a press conference, she officially ordered Air Canada and her on -board agents to resume their activities, and at the same time imposed an enforceable arbitration between the two parties. “Canadians have already made a lot of sacrifices in this uncertain economy, and this work disturbance adds to their concerns and their financial burden,” she said.
The vice-president of the union, Julie Potvin, did not wish to comment on this announcement, which she however described as “bad news”, when The press met her on the sticking scene, at the end of the afternoon. “It is believed that Canada reaches the government’s intervention,” she said, however.
The Minister’s directive is made possible by article 107 of the Labor Code, which gives the government the right to return the file to the Canadian Council for Industrial Relations (CCRI).
The CCRI will determine a schedule for the resumption of Air Canada flights in the next 24 to 48 hours, explains Mme Hajdu.
The activities of the carrier, on the other hand, could resume in 5 to 10 days, she estimated. According to the minister, arbitration is the most “stable” way to reach an agreement between Air Canada and its union affiliated with the SCFP.
This new twist has redoubled the ardor of the demonstrators, who claimed better conditions by screaming, trumpets and whistles, supported by the incessant horns of motorists. At the height of the day, around noon, there were around 400 in front of the Montreal airport, armed with their water bottles and their hats, on this hot day in August. Priority: remuneration.
“Given that we are a mainly female environment, it means that we wonder why the pilots, they so quickly managed to have conditions that we consider to be fair,” said Mme Potvin.
The demonstrators intended to stay until 9 p.m., and resume the strike stake this Sunday.
A “violation” of the charter
In a declaration, the SCFP Air Canada has condemned the use of article 107. The latter has existed since the 1980s, but had never been used before the summer of 2024 to end strikes and lockouts.
According to David Doorey, professor of labor law at York University, the Liberal government has made it “unprecedented” in the last year. This method constitutes “most certainly” a violation of the freedom of association provided for in the Charter, in its opinion.
The former job minister Steve Mackinnon notably resorted to it twice. On the one hand, to put an end to a lockout affecting the ports of Vancouver, Quebec and Montreal; And on the other hand, to postpone a several -week strike by Canada Post Workers until May.
In the past, politicians adopted laws of return to work, which were to go through the democratic process. But today, “the liberals are bypassing parliament and essentially grant a single minister the power to end work by simply sending an email to the CCI,” explains David Doorey.
Photo Charles William Pelletier, special collaboration
Protesters brandishing flags from the Canadian Public Service Syndicate (SCFP)
In addition, the government was much more inclined to impose arbitration when the employers demanded it, which “gives the impression that the Liberals are on the side of the employers in these conflicts”, adds the expert.
Arbitration tends to lead to a more conservative agreement, “so if a game wishes greater changes, it will be less inclined to support arbitration”, underlines David Doorey. This is particularly the case of the SCFP, which requires a major change in the way workers are paid, he underlines.
Questioned by journalists about the effects of her decision on workers’ rights, Minister Patty Hajdu rejected “affirmation that [son] government is anti -syndical ”.
In misunderstanding
Meanwhile, inside the airport, it was a feeling of helplessness that lived in the air carrier’s ticket holders, who presented themselves in dozen in front of the large table of air Canada flights to find out the outcome of their trip.
“One chance that I called our travel agent is she who told me to introduce myself,” says Annie Robert, resident of Mont-Saint-Grégoire.
Photo Charles William Pelletier, special collaboration
Air Canada Air Plans
“I would probably not have come because of what we had heard today, it was really not clear,” added Mr.me Robert, whose theft towards Athens was postponed in the evening.
On the site of Montreal-Trudeau airport, a warning indicates that because of a labor conflict, all flights from Air Canada or Red to Destination and from Yul are “canceled”. At the end of the evening, on Saturday, the establishment still recommended that you do not move to the airport unless you have a confirmed flight “with another carrier”. However, not all the flights that are canceled, clearly indicates Air Canada on its website, and travelers must go to the airport if they have not received a contrary indication.
Other travelers, sitting back to the wall, wondered how they would come home, while return to work is essential on Monday. Two Montrealers went to funeral, to which they may not be able to attend on Monday.