Midnight less a work stoppage at Air Canada

Faced with the dead end in negotiations, Air Canada asked the Federal Labor Ministry to intervene by imposing enforceable arbitration, as it had done in the railway sector (new window) and port (new window).

On Thursday, Minister Patty Hadju said she asked the union to decide on this arbitration request from the employer. He must give his response to this purpose by noon Friday.

On Tuesday, the union had already rejected a proposal from the airline to start an enforceable arbitration process, (new window) Believing that it was an attempt by the employer to deprive union members of their right to strike.

In the absence of a snatching agreement, all Air Canada planes will be nailed to the ground on Saturday. The Air Canada component of the Canadian Public Service Syndicate (SCFP) announced its intention to disengage on Saturday at 0:58 (new window). The employer replied by transmitting a notice of lock-out which must start from 1:30 a.m.

The work stoppage has not yet been formalized and, already, flight cancellations cause headaches to travelers. Since Thursday, the carrier has carried out a gradual reduction of [ses] activities in order to to inform their customers in advance of the risk of cancellation of flights, to reduce the risk that they remain blocked and to give them a clearer portrait of the situation.

It is also 500 flights which must be canceled on Friday, says Air Canada.

If a work stoppage between indeed in effect on Saturday, all Air Canada and Red Air Canada flights will be canceled.

Air Canada flights operated by Jazz and PAL will continue to fly. These regional partners carry around 20 % of Air Canada’s daily customers.

What to do in the event of flight cancellation?

Customers whose flight is canceled will be notified by email and text message. If this is your case, several options are available to you (new window).

First, Air Canada allows you to postpone your travel date at no cost.

If it is impossible for you to postpone your holiday plans, the company has the obligation to find a seat on another airline within 48 hours of the initial departure time.

However, considering the summer tip, Air Canada warned that a limited number of passengers whose flight is canceled will be able to obtain a place on a plane from another airline. On average, some 130,000 passengers fly to the air Canada daily.

If no alternative travel option is found in 48 hours, Air Canada must offer you a full refund.

Impasse of negotiations

The main stumbling block in negotiations on the renewal of the collective agreement concerns the remuneration of on -board agents.

According to the employer, an offer of contract presented to the union included A 38 % increase in overall remuneration over four years, which would have made our best -paying on -board agents in Canada.

The union, engaged in a war of figures with the employers’ part, however rejects this declaration and ensures that the offer is below inflation et below the market value.

I do not know how they do their calculation, but it is certain that it was a calculation which is biasedcommented the president of the local section of Montreal Air Canada on -board agents, Natasha Stea.

The company offers a wage increase of 17.2 % over four years. Even in 2028, the fourth year to which this offer would apply, the wages of the Air Canada on -board agent would remain below those offered today by competing airlines in Canada.

Another point of tension surrounds the paid hours for the ground service, for example the work carried out by the on -board agents for the recording of the luggage before takeoff. According to the union, around 35 hours worked on the ground per month are not remunerated by the employer.

Air Canada ensures that its new offer includes A new provision concerning remuneration for the ground service, the best in industry in Canada.

A sign that the cloth burns, unionized ons agents interrupted the press conference of Air Canada on Thursday (new window).

The parts accuse each other of bad faith in negotiations.

Radio-Canada has also learned that the carrier refuses to sign a repatriation agreement which would guarantee a clear process to bring the officers back to the country in the event of interruption of activities.

Without an agreement, explains our source, an airplane can return to Canada with pilots on board, but it cannot transport without crew passengers. Consequently, more Canadians will find themselves blocked abroadwe explain.

The collective agreement that binds the Air Canada and Red Air Canada on -board agents to their employer has been expired since last March. It has been in force since 2015.

A threat of strike had also hovered over Air Canada in the fall of 2024, but the company and its pilots had concluded an agreement in principle (new window) Just before the schedule fixed by both parties.

An intervention by the federally?

According to Marc Ranger, former Quebec director of SCFPOttawa should be careful before intervening in the conflict.

I consider that the federal government must be careful: with a union which has not negotiated its working conditions for ten years, intervene on day one of the conflict, it would be unwelcomehe said in an interview to here RDI.

Air Canada must recognize that there are adjustments to make. The question of unpaid time is the time or never that it must be corrected.

Considering the financial pressure that will be exerted on Air Canada due to travelers who will require reimbursements, the former executive at Air Canada John Gradek considers that the carrier will have an interest in ending the conflict quickly.

In the event of extended work stoppage, The reputation and the way people perceive Air Canada will deteriorate fairly quicklywarns the one who is now coordinator of the aviation management program at McGill University.