On a day marked by tension and uncertainty, Air Canada’s grounded fleet awaited more than a routine signal—only a decisive federal command restored the prospect of movement over the country’s vast landscape.
Canada’s flagship airline halted its operations abruptly on Saturday after a breakdown in talks between Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents over 10,000 flight attendants. Negotiations stalled without an eleventh-hour agreement, prompting union members to take to picket lines and the airline to lock out its agents within half an hour.
The disruption might have lingered if Ottawa had not acted with rare speed. The federal government, through a directive from Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu, ordered the airline and its flight attendants to return to work, mandating binding arbitration to resolve outstanding disputes. The Canada Industrial Relations Board instructed Air Canada to resume flights and required flight attendants to be on duty by 2 p.m. Eastern Time.
Air Canada confirmed it would restart its flights Sunday evening, though the company cautioned that normal operations would be restored only gradually in the days ahead. While the airline’s immediate compliance signalled relief for stranded travellers, the union voiced sharp criticism of the federal government’s intervention. According to the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Hajdu’s action amounted to capitulation to corporate interests, raising questions about the balance between workers’ rights and the broader public good.
The scene that unfolded in airports across the country served as a reminder of the delicate equilibrium underpinning essential services. Ottawa’s swift intervention averted a protracted disruption, but the recourse to binding arbitration leaves the underlying labour dispute unresolved, only suspended for now. As flights begin to lift off and terminal halls fill once more, both sides brace for the longer contest that may still play out in boardrooms and, perhaps, in the public’s court.
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Air Canada to restart flights Sunday after Ottawa intervenes in strike
