Air Canada’s flight attendants went on strike early Saturday, after negotiations between the staff union and the airline did not reach an agreement.
Following the strike, Air Canada, which is largest airline, suspended its operations, affecting more than 100,000 passengers from around the world.
“About 130,000 customers will be impacted each day that the strike continues,” Air Canada said in a statement.
“Air Canada is strongly advising affected customers not to go to the airport unless they have a confirmed ticket on an airline other than Air Canada or Air Canada Rouge,” the airline said.
The airline on Saturday said it would begin locking flight attendants out of airports.
Why did the flight attendants strike?
In a social media post, just before 01:00 ET (05:00 GMT), the union represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) confirmed the 72-hour freeze. More than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants are participating in the strike — the first by flight attendants since 1985.
The flight attendants walked off the job over a pay dispute with the airline.
As per the present norms, the flight attendants are paid only when they are flying.
However, the union is also seeking to be compensated for the time the attendants spend on the ground between flights and as they help passengers board.
The airline and the union had been in talks over the attendants’ pay, but the negotiations failed when the union turned down the airline’s request to enter into government-directed arbitration.
If the union agrees to the government-assisted arbitration, it would eliminate its right to strike and allow a third-party mediator to decide the terms of a new contract.
Air Canada has asked Prime Minister Mark Carney’s minority Liberal government to order both sides into binding arbitration, although CUPE said it opposed the move.
Edited: by Jenipher Camino Gonzalez
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