Air Canada is urging the Canadian government to be ready to intervene in order to prevent a potential strike by its 5,400 pilots, which could begin as soon as September 18. The airline warned that a strike could disrupt flights for weeks, affecting 110,000 passengers daily, along with freight operations.
Air Canada spokesperson Christophe Hennebelle emphasized the airline’s commitment to reaching a deal but criticized the union representing the pilots for making what he described as unreasonable demands. Pilots are seeking wage increases to narrow the gap with U.S. counterparts, while Air Canada has offered a pay hike of over 30%.
Despite pressure from business groups to prevent the strike, the federal government has so far refrained from intervening, with Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon encouraging both parties to resolve their differences at the negotiating table.