At least half-a-million passengers have been hit by Air Canada flight cancellations as hostilities between the carrier and cabin crew continue. British travellers are paying thousands of pounds extra to get home by alternative means.
In response to a strike call by members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the Canadian national airline started grounded flights on Thursday 14 August. By Saturday 16 August Air Canada had imposed “a complete cessation of flying”.
The government then ordered cabin crew to return to work and accept binding arbitration.
CUPE’s national secretary and treasurer, Candace Rennick, condemned “the government’s decision to intervene on behalf of an already wildly profitable employer, while a predominantly female workforce fights tooth and nail for a path out of poverty”.
Initially Air Canada said flights would start to resume at 2pm on Sunday 17 August.
That plan was abandoned because flight attendants refused to return to work. Air Canada says the union “illegally directed its flight attendant members” to defy the order.
The carrier now says it intends to resume flying on the evening of Monday 18 August. But the indications are that chaos will continue for days more.
These are the key questions and answers.
What is the dispute about?
Members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees working as cabin crew for the airline are embroiled in a long and bitter pay dispute. The union says it is fighting “the abuse of unpaid work and poverty wages for flight attendants”. Cabin crew voted 99.7 per cent in favour of striking for better pay as well as an assurance of pay while on duty on the ground. CUPE says: “Unpaid work is an unfair practice that pervades nearly the entire airline sector.”
Air Canada says it has offered “a 38 per cent total compensation increase over four years” and insists arbitration is the fairest solution to the dispute.
But the union says: “With respect to Air Canada’s latest offer: it is below inflation, below market value, below minimum wage.”
Cancellations affect passengers on both Air Canada and its low-cost subsidiary, Rouge. But Air Canada Express, the regional carrier, is continuing operations as normal.
How is it affecting…
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