Canada’s federal labour tribunal has ruled that the strike by Air Canada’s roughly 10,000 flight attendants is unlawful, ordering them back on the job immediately after a weekend of mass flight disruptions. The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) issued its decision Monday morning, stating that the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) defied a government back-to-work order by continuing its strike action on Sunday.
The directive, signed by CIRB vice-chair Jennifer Webster, instructs CUPE to stop all activities authorizing the strike and to direct members to resume duties by noon ET. Flight attendants themselves were also ordered to return to work without delay. The ruling followed an emergency hearing on Sunday after the federal government stepped in to send both sides to binding arbitration under the Canada Labour Code.
The strike began early Saturday morning, grounding hundreds of flights and stranding travellers across the country. Ottawa intervened less than 12 hours later, with Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu invoking special powers to force arbitration in an effort to restore operations. Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed disappointment that negotiations had collapsed but stressed that attendants “must be compensated equitably” while urging both sides to settle their differences quickly.
Air Canada reported that approximately 500,000 passengers have already been affected by cancellations. The airline said it is committed to restoring service as soon as possible, while CUPE accused the government of rewarding Air Canada’s refusal to negotiate fairly by imposing arbitration and undermining the union’s right to strike.
The labour dispute stems from the expiry of a 10-year contract in March. CUPE says wages, work rules, and unpaid hours remain the core issues, noting that attendants currently receive no pay for duties performed before boarding or after landing, such as safety checks and assisting passengers. Negotiations are expected to continue under the binding arbitration process ordered by the government.