Air Canada fleet remained grounded on Monday after striking stewardesses defined an order supported by the government to return to work, an unprecedented impasse with the Canadian authorities escalating.
The airline, which usually transports 130,000 passengers daily as part of the Global Star Alliance, had anticipated resuming operations on Sunday evening after a Labor Relations administrative directive for the trade union to terminate its strike and to introduce binding arbitration.
However, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (Cupe), which represents 10,000 Air Canada Cabine Personnel, rejected the order.
At the airline, they insisted that they return to the negotiating table, with the argument that binding arbitration would alleviate the pressure on the carrier.
The servants demand improved wages and reward for ground tasks, such as boarding the passengers, because their current wage structure only compensates them when planes are moving.
This attitude has collected considerable public support on social media from Canadians.
Passengers run for the protesters who hold placards, while the Stewardesses of Air Canada said they will stay on strike and challenge a return-to-work order that they called unconstitutional (Reuters).
Cupe invited Air Canada back to the table to “negotiate an honest deal” and called the assignment to end his strike unconstitutionally.
The airline said that planning would slow down to restart the activities from Sunday to Monday evening and described the trade union as illegal tarting of the labor council.
The government's options to end the strike now include asking courts to enforce the order to return to work and to look for an accelerated hearing. The minority government could also try to approve legislation that would require the support of political rivals and approval in both parliament areas that will pause until 15 September.
“The government will be very cautious to be too hard to be too hard, because in Canada Het Hoogschechtshof in Canada has ruled that governments must be very care if they should be very care if they take the right to strike the right to strike, even for employees in the public sector who may be considered essential,” said Dionne Pohler, Professor of Cornel University Professor professor of the Corrytatiebestem to have a foresolation of the Cornel University of the Cornel University Destitution for award has toy for example, foret has toy foret has toy foret has toy foret has toy for award and foret has toy for award and foret has toy for a fores dealt has toy at a foresolation and for a miniature of the Cornel, foring at the Corneltatiebest.
Another option is to encourage negotiations, Pohler said.
The government did not respond to requests for comments.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Mark Carney's liberal government moved to end the strike by asking the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order binding arbitration. The Cirb has issued the order on which Air Canada had searched, and the association of stewardesses against it.
People are sitting by their luggage, such as Air Canada Stewardesses said they stay on strike (Reuters)
The previous government, under the former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, intervened last year to leave on the track and doctor's strikes that threatened to paralyze the economy, but it is very unusual that a trade union defies a Cirb -Bevel.
The cupe said that its rejection was unprecedented when such an order was given according to rules, known as section 107, which the government called in this case.
Travelers at Toronto Pearson International Airport at the weekend said they were confused and frustrated about when they could fly.
The Italian Francesca Tondini, 50, sitting at Toronto Airport, said she supported the trade union, although she had no idea when she could return home.
“They are right,” she said with a smile, pointing to the striking servants.
The dispute between cabin crew and Air Canada depends on the way in which airlines compensate for stewardesses. Most, including Air Canada, have traditionally only paid when planes are moving.
In their latest contract negotiations, flight attendants in both Canada and the United States have requested a fee for the hours worked, including for tasks such as entry passengers.
New employment contracts at American Airlines and Alaska Airlines require legal carriers to start the clock to pay stewardesses when passengers board.
The stewardesses of the American are now also compensated for a few hours between flights. United Airlines cabin crew, who voted a provisional contract agreement last month, also want a similar provision.
