The president and chief executive officer of Air Canada was waiting for Ottawa’s intervention as a contingency plan to force the return to work of on-board agents in case the strike leads to the cancellation of flights.
• Read also: The strike at Air Canada continues: what are your options?
• Read also: Strike at Air Canada: the president of the union ready to make prison
• Read also: Air Canada, Cri -maintained strike: “it’s unheard of”, according to a former trade unionist
In a revealing interview on Bloomberg on Monday, his first public appearance since the start of the labor conflict, Michael Rousseau was asked how the airline had prepared to avoid the impacts of a work stoppage on customers.
“We expected article 107 [du Code du travail] be implemented and did not expect them [les syndiqués] Go around article 107, “he told the host.
The CEO said he was “disappointed” with the evolution of events.
The government of Mark Carney invoked article 107 to transfer the file to the Canadian Council for Industrial Relations (CCI), which later declared the “illegal” strike on Monday and ordered a return to work.
The Civil Service Syndicate (SCFP), which represents 10,000 on -board agents, has decided to stand up to Ottawa and Air Canada and intends to continue the strike.
The union’s representatives have repeatedly accused Air Canada of waiting for Ottawa’s intervention to break the strike and force arbitration.
Rousseau says that around 500,000 airline customers have undergone a direct or indirect impact of the “illegal” strike.
Between 500 and 600 Air Canada and Red Air Canada flights were canceled on Monday.