Air Canada’s flight attendants went on strike just after midnight Saturday, shutting the airline down and stranding an average of 130,000 passengers per day. The work action began at 1 a.m. ET on Tuesday. This move came on the heels of unsuccessful contract negotiations between the airline and the union representing 10,000 flight attendants. After more than a year of negotiations with Health Minister Patty Hajdu and Air Canada officials, the union opted to strike. Sadly, these conversations went nowhere as a consensus failed to materialize.
Additionally, the airline said it would look into providing affected passengers with travel through other Canadian and foreign carriers. As Air Canada’s warning suggests, AAA’s metric has profound implications. They cannot guarantee prompt rebooking due to current demand and summer travel peak causing full flights. The sudden disruption will now strand an estimated 25,000 Canadians abroad.
Union and Airline Negotiations
This strike follows an almost two-year period of negotiations. Air Canada’s most recent proposal apparently offers a total compensation/benefit/pension hike of 38% over four years. The airline claimed that this would create the highest paid flight attendants in Canada.
Even with this strong offer on the table, the union turned down Air Canada’s proposal for government-directed arbitration before a strike would begin. The union pointed out that the administration’s counter-offer of an 8% first year raise wouldn’t be enough to keep up with inflation.
Representing the union, Hugh Pouliot said the negotiations haven’t been moving towards resolution.
“We’re here to bargain a deal, not to go on strike.” – Hugh Pouliot
This appreciation of the needs of both sides was further echoed by Health Minister Hajdu, who lauded collaborative problem-solving on the part of both constituencies.
“It is unacceptable that such little progress has been made. Canadians are counting on both parties to put forward their best efforts.” – Patty Hajdu
Impact on Travelers
The strike is likely to have a big impact on anyone looking to travel by air with Air Canada in the near future. Montreal resident Alex Laroche and his girlfriend were looking forward to their long-awaited European vacation. They had been saving up since Christmas and now the uncertainty threatened to derail all of their plans.
With operations suspended, Air Canada travelers are now on a mad dash to find new travel solutions. The airline’s warning about full flights further complicates the situation for those attempting to rebook their travel plans during this peak season.
Air Canada reassured customers that it would do its utmost to assist travelers but acknowledged the challenges posed by the ongoing strike.
“We are committed to supporting our passengers during this difficult time,” a spokesperson for Air Canada stated.
Future Developments
With each passing day of the strike, both Air Canada and the union are under increased pressure to reach an agreement quickly. As millions of Canadians continue to depend on reliable and timely travel connections, the public is clearly looking for the government to return to more predictable operating practices.
The fate of these first flights now is uncertain, with thousands of prospective passengers left holding their breaths for news on their reservations. Many remain in doubt about what’s going on with flights operated later into the day on Saturday, including a very symbolic flight to Nice, France.
