Just under 12 hours after Air Canada’s 10,000 flight attendants walked off the job, seeking better wages and creating travel chaos, the government imposed binding arbitration to shut down the strike.
“Canadians rely on air travel every day, and its importance cannot be understated,” Patty Hajdu, the labor minister, told reporters. “Now is not the time to take risks with the economy.”
Air Canada will not immediately begin flying, she said. An independent industrial relations board will need 24 to 48 hours for a review before issuing a back-to-work order. Ms. Hajdu said that Air Canada has told the government that restoring full service would take an additional five to 10 days.
She said that the airline and negotiators met through Friday night into Saturday morning. While an offer was made by one of the parties, she said, talks collapsed.
“It is clear that they are at an impasse,” she said.
Matina Stevis-Gridneff is the Canada bureau chief for The Times, leading coverage of the country.
Ian Austen reports on Canada for The Times. A Windsor, Ontario, native now based in Ottawa, he has reported on the country for two decades. He can be reached at [email protected].
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