The Minister of Employment, Patty Hajdu, announced on Saturday that she had ordered enforceable arbitration and the resumption of activities.
During a press briefing presented in Ottawa, Ms. Hajdu said that Air Canada and the union were deadlocked and could not solve their dispute.
She asked for the intervention of the Canadian Industrial Relations Council in order to “impose a final and restrictive arbitration”. Consequently, the duration of the existing collective agreement is extended until a new employment contract is established by the arbitrator.
“This decision aims to ensure that the hundreds of thousands of Canadians and visitors to the country will not be assigned due to canceled flights,” said the minister. In addition, sending essential goods, such as pharmaceutical products and human tissues – more than 40 % of which are transported by Air Canada – should continue their way and reach their destination. ”
Air Canada on Saturday, a strike on Saturday shortly before 1 a.m. Thirty minutes later, it was the airline’s turn to announce that it imposed a lockout towards this group of employees.
Hajdu stressed that the conflict had already caused great wrongs to Canadians and the country’s economy. Some pressure groups had already called for an intervention from the federal government.
In a statement published on Saturday morning, the Quebec Chambers of Commerce Federation urged the government to “intervene as quickly as possible by using enforceable arbitration to end the current work stoppage at Air Canada”.
“In a context of economic instability and tariff crisis, this additional work conflict night once again to the reputation of Quebec on a global scale,” said the CEO of the organization, Véronique Proulx.
Air Canada has already canceled more than 600 flights in the past two days in preparation for a possible labor conflict. Air Canada Express flights, operated by third jazz and PAL airlines are not affected by this interruption.
Ms. Hajdu has agreed that several days would be necessary before a return to normal service.
The announcement was quickly denounced on strike stakes erected by the Canadian Public Service Syndicate (SCFP) near the main airports in Canada, notably in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.
In Toronto, union members chanted: “Shame on you, Patty Hadju!”.
The union had already planned an intervention by the federal government in the conflict.
The Canadian Public Service Syndicate (SCFP) accused Air Canada of refusing to negotiate in good faith because of the probability of an intervention by the federal government.
The president of the Air Canada component at the SCFP, Wesley Lesosky, criticized the federal government on Saturday for making a double speech.
“The Liberals told us that the best place to improve our working conditions was at the negotiating table. Now that we are with an obstinate boss, they deny our rights registered in the Charter and give Air Canada what it wants exactly, “said the SCFP in a statement.
The main point of dispute remains wages that have not followed the pace of inflation in the past 10 years. On -board agents also want to be paid when their plane does not fly.
“What we ask is not unreasonable. Our requests are not too far from those of Air Canada competitors, such as Air Transat. They are realistic and we deserve it. We are the national carrier, but our people must live in a poverty situation, “said Lesosky.
Even the conservatives have condemned the government’s decision.
“No worker, whether federal regulations or not, should be forced by the government to work without being paid. However, this is exactly what on board agents are asked to do, said party spokesperson Kyle Seeback. Instead of continuing to attack the agents by forcing them to regain work, Carney should collaborate with Parliament to have the law on equity for on -board agents adopt, which guarantees that workers are paid for the work they do before, during and after a flight.