Union leaders representing 10,000 striking Air Canada flight attendants have said they are willing to go to jail rather than comply with a back-to-work order, as the Canadian government intervenes to end the dispute. The strike, which began on Saturday, has halted hundreds of flights during the peak summer season, stranding travellers worldwide.
Mark Hancock, national president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, told reporters on Monday that members would remain on picket lines. “There’s no limit. We’re going to stay strong,” he said. “And if it means folks like me going to jail, then so be it.” The union wants a solution found at the bargaining table, not through arbitration.
Canada’s jobs minister, Patty Hajdu, imposed binding arbitration less than 12 hours after the strike began, using her broad powers. The union calls this move unconstitutional. “The Liberals are violating our Charter rights to take job action,” said Wesley Lesosky, a senior union member. The union plans to challenge the arbitration in federal court.
Air Canada had hoped to resume flights on Sunday, but the union’s defiance has delayed that. The airline has suspended its financial guidance for the third quarter and full year, with the strike costing tens of millions of dollars daily. Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed disappointment that negotiations failed, stressing the importance of fair compensation for flight attendants.
