The Minister of Employment Patty Hajdu orders Air Canada and her on -board agents to resume their operations, and imposes enforceable arbitration between the two parties.
This was announced by the minister at a press conference on Saturday noon. “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.
Arbitration is the most “stable” way to arrive at an agreement between Air Canada and the Air Canada component of the Canadian Public Service Syndicate (SCFP).
To achieve her ends, the Minister used article 107 of the Labor Code, which gives him the power to return the file to the Canadian Council for Industrial Relations (CCRI). The organization will determine a schedule for the resumption of Air Canada flights in the next 24 to 48 hours, according to the Minister.
Patty Hajdu said that the carrier’s operations could resume in five to ten days.
Questioned by journalists about the effects of her decision on workers’ rights, the minister said that “the best agreements are obtained at the negotiating table”, and that strikes are “disruptive for an organizational culture”.
“I reject the assertion that our government is anti-syndicated,” she added.
On Saturday morning, Air Canada announced that it was on lockout on her unionized dashboards, in response to the outbreak of their strike.
The union representing more than 10,000 Air Canada on -board agents said its members started a strike on around 1 a.m. for a last minute agreement on Saturday with the airline.
Air Canada then reported that a lockout entered into force at 1:30 am on Saturday, a “step that has become necessary” due to the trigger of the strike, the company said in a statement.
The airline has announced that all Air Canada and Red Air Canada flights will be canceled.
About 130,000 customers will be affected for each day of suspension, said the company.
Read “I have a flight with Air Canada. What do I do? »»
“Air Canada deeply regrets the repercussions of the labor conflict on its customers,” the company said in a statement on Saturday morning.
Photo Graham Hughes, Canadian Press
On-board agents demonstrate at Montreal-Trudeau airport on August 16, 2025.
Air Canada Express flights, operated by third jazz and PAL airlines are not affected.
The Canadian Air Canada Component of the Canadian Public Service (SCFP) said that strike stakes will be deployed at Canada airports, notably in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.
Striker board agents also provide strike stakes at Halifax, Ottawa and Winnipeg airports.
“The negotiations between Air Canada and the SCFP are deadlocked,” the union said in a press release early Saturday morning.
“We are deeply saddened for our passenger and passengers. We do not want to go on strike and we do not want to be lockout, but it is clear that Air Canada had no intention of negotiating. »»
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.