Photo: AIR CANADA Labor Dispute Escalates: Despite numerous attempts to reach a compromise, it appears today (Friday) that the strike at Air Canada is inevitable. Although the official start date of the strike is tomorrow, August 16, the airline is already reporting hundreds of flight attendants not showing up for work.
"We are seeing nearly 300 attendants, twice the usual number, not reporting for duty this evening. This will lead to additional cancellations. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause our customers," stated the company's official announcement.
Air Canada's management added: "We remind our attendants that we will fly them back home in the event of a strike, despite the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) rejecting the agreement to fly Canadians home." In an earlier statement, the company requested clarification from the union regarding the proposal offered, but no response was given.
As we reported earlier this week, Air Canada announced it is entering an emergency operation plan, where "its air operations will be gradually reduced in an orderly manner," according to the statement.
The airline offered attendants a salary increase of 38% over four years (25% in the first year), along with improved conditions, an offer not accepted by the union.
Air Canada routinely flies about 130,000 passengers daily, including approximately 25,000 Canadians from various global destinations to the country's airports.