Air Canada flights grounded as flight attendants union defies return-to-work orders
Air Canada canceled hundreds of flights over the weekend after 10,000 flight attendants defied federal return-to-work orders amid a strike over fair pay.
The Canadian Industrial Relations Board declared the strike by Air Canada's flight attendants "unlawful" Monday morning and ordered union leaders to direct the flight attendants to return to work, according to an update from Air Canada. The Air Canada Component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, or CUPE, has until 12 p.m. ET Monday to provide a written public notice telling its members to resume work and end all activities related to the strike.
The work stoppage went into effect at 12:58 a.m. ET on Saturday. At the center of the dispute are salary negotiations between Air Canada and the CUPE flight attendants union, which says the carrier's wages are below inflation, market value and the federal minimum wage. The union has also asked that flight attendants be paid for groundwork, which includes labor performed prior to takeoff and after landing, such as boarding and deplaning.
Air Canada has offered a 17.2% wage increase over four years, which the union said would make flight attendant earnings less than that of current competitors in Canada.
Latest details on Air Canada flight cancellations
The strike forced Air Canada to cancel 738 flights on Sunday with another nearly 400 canceled Monday.
On Sunday, the Canadian Industrial Relations Board ordered flight attendants to return to their jobs by Sunday at 2 p.m. ET, but the Canadian Union of Public Employees pushed back, which further delayed when flights could resume.
"CUPE illegally directed its flight attendant members to defy the direction from the CIRB to return to work resulting in Air Canada suspending its plan to resume limited flying by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge," Air Canada said in a statement.
As a result of the labor disruptions and grounded fleet, Air Canada announced Monday morning that the airline will suspend its third quarter and year end operating results and profit forecasts.
A representative for the carrier told ABC News it will continue to issue travel updates as they become available.
Henly Larden, an Air Canada flight attendant and the CUPE local 4094 interim president, told ABC News that Air Canada has "been acting in poor faith since the beginning."
"It's really important for passengers to understand that we are flight attendants, we love our jobs, we belong in the sky, and ultimately this is not our role to be on the ground and fight for our rights," Larden said, adding, "What we need is that passengers and the public acknowledge and recognize that we have no problem going to work. We just need ... pay to do our duties and ensure that we are compensated in a fair manner."
The shutdown has impacted 130,000 travelers per day, according to Air Canada estimates, and has left some passengers stranded.
"I don't know what I'm going to do," Andres Hincape, who was meant to be traveling via Air Canada, told ABC News.
Another Air Canada traveler, Elizabeth Fourney, said those with canceled flights were "left either stranded ... or to rebook ourselves with a competitive carrier."
Canadian officials have said the country, which was already hit with President Trump's tariffs, cannot afford to take risks with its economy.
"In a year where Canadian businesses and families have faced too much disruption and uncertainty, they shouldn't have to shoulder another blow," Patty Hajdu, minister of jobs and families of Canada said.
