Air Canada flight attendants’ strike declared illegal

Canada’s labour board has ruled the strike by Air Canada’s 10,000 flight attendants illegal.

The Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) ordered union members to return to work immediately, following the Canadian Union of Public Employees’ defiance of a back-to-work directive issued on August 17, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The strike, which began on August 16, grounded roughly 700 flights daily, affecting about 500,000 passengers and prompting Air Canada to suspend its financial guidance for the third quarter and full year.

The airline had proposed a 17.2% pay increase over four years, but the union argued that this fails to match a decade of inflation.

Prime Minister Mark Carney called the stalled negotiations “disappointing” and urged a quick resolution, while analysts estimate the strike is costing Air Canada $61 million per day, potentially reducing weekly profits by $300 million.

CUPE officials have not commented publicly on the CIRB ruling.

By Aghakazim Guliyev