Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu has asked the union representing Air Canada’s flight attendants to respond to the airline’s request for binding arbitration—days before the airline could issue a complete stoppage of flights.
Hajdu says Air Canada submitted a request that she refer the two parties to binding arbitration under Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code.
“I have asked the union to respond to the employer’s request,” Hajdu said in an Aug. 14 statement posted on X.
Hajdu’s statement comes on the first day of Air Canada’s “phased wind down” of its operations, including flight cancellations, in response to a 72-hour strike notice from the union representing its flight attendants. The airline said it would begin cancelling flights on Aug. 14, with more cancelled on Aug. 15, and a complete stoppage of flights by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge on Aug. 16….