Air Canada Settles with Flight Attendants, Strike Ends
Air Canada reached a tentative agreement with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) on Tuesday. This agreement marked the end of a strike that had grounded operations since August 16, involving 10,000 flight attendants. The settlement includes pay increases and a minimum of 60 minutes of ground pay before each flight, addressing a key union demand.
The strike led to the cancellation of over 2,500 flights, leaving approximately 500,000 customers stranded during the peak summer travel season. Flight attendants had been seeking wage increases to match inflation and compensation for unpaid ground work. This includes safety checks and passenger assistance when aircraft are not airborne.
Air Canada began gradually resuming operations on Tuesday evening. However, full restoration may take up to a week. The airline operates about 700 flights daily across 65 countries. The agreement came after government intervention on Sunday. The government ordered workers back to work and directed both parties into binding arbitration, though union members initially defied the order.
Source: Air Canada Media