Flight attendants with Air Canada and subsidiary Air Canada Rouge walked out early August 17. As expected, the Liberal government ordered them back to work twelve hours later, declaring their strike unlawful.
In a bold move with wide implications, the ten thousand striking flight attendants defied the order. They’d voted 99.7 percent to strike earlier this month.
Their union, an affiliate of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), said the back-to-work order violated their right to strike, and CUPE president Mark Hancock ripped it up.
“Members are reminded that it is not a criminal offence to remain on the picket line,” the union wrote in a bargaining update. “While union leaders may be subject to arrest, union members are not at risk of arrest for participating in the strike. Please continue to sign up for picket duty and report as planned.”
An estimated 3,000 flights were cancelled, with 130,000 passengers affected daily, airline analysts said. Facing losses of $43 million a day, the airline abruptly restarted negotiations.
The Canadian federal government has issued back-to-work orders to halt or prevent strikes eight times since June 2024. Air Canada flight attendants were the first in that period to defy the order.
“If it means folks like me going to jail, then so be it,” said Hancock at a press conference. “If it means our union being fined, then so be it.”
The workers picketed airports across Canada, chanting “Forced to fly? We won’t comply!” and carrying signs saying “Ground our rights? Ground the planes!”…
Auteur: Jenny Brown
