Air Canada suspended nearly all operations Saturday after 10,000 flight attendants launched a strike, disrupting travel for up to 130,000 daily passengers.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing attendants, said the walkout followed eight months of stalled contract talks. Key disputes include wages, unpaid hours during boarding and standby, and inflation-adjusted pay. Despite Air Canada’s offer of a 38% compensation increase over four years, attendants voted 99.7% in favor of striking, arguing the deal still amounted to a “pay cut.”
The strike forced the airline to cancel more than 500 flights Friday alone, affecting about 100,000 travelers. By Saturday, Air Canada confirmed it would ground its mainline and Rouge services, though Air Canada Express flights, about 20% of its daily schedule, remain unaffected.
With mounting cancellations threatening tourism and business activity nationwide, Canada’s federal government intervened. Labour Minister Patty Hajdu invoked Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to compel both sides into binding arbitration. “This is critical to maintaining industrial peace, protecting Canadians, and resolving this dispute,” Hajdu said.
CUPE condemned the intervention, calling it a violation of charter rights and warning that arbitration would leave core issues unresolved. Business leaders, including Toronto’s Board of Trade, welcomed the move, citing the strike’s “catastrophic” potential for Canada’s summer economy.
It remains unclear how long the disruption will last. Customers with cancelled flights will receive full refunds, and Air Canada has arranged alternative options with partner airlines. The company continues to advise passengers not to go to airports unless booked on unaffected flights.
The strike is the first by Air Canada’s flight attendants since 1985 and underscores growing tensions over wages and working conditions across Canada’s aviation sector.
