Air Canada is facing a major crisis as approximately 10,000 flight attendants refuse to comply with a government back-to-work order. Their strike has left nearly half a million passengers stranded around the world. The walkout started just after midnight on Saturday.
The workers are asking for higher wages and proper pay for the unpaid ground work they do, such as during boarding or when flights are delayed. The strike has hit flights to 180 cities in Canada and abroad. Even though the government has stepped in, the deadlock continues, showing the deep conflict between the airline and its crew.
Tribunal Orders & Union Resistance
Over the weekend, federal labour minister Patty Hajdu used a special law to stop the strike and push both sides into binding arbitration. After that, the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) ordered the flight attendants to return to work on Sunday. The union refused. CUPE president Mark Hancock said the issue must be solved through talks, not legal orders. “None of us wants to be in defiance of the law,” he said.
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But he insisted flight attendants must get fair pay for the extra time they spend working on the ground during delays. The CIRB raised the pressure again on Monday. It ordered CUPE to tell members by noon that they must resume their duties and stop illegal strike action. Hancock rejected the demand and warned Air Canada not to expect flights to restart right away.
Talks Resume With a Mediator
Even with this defiance, new talks began Monday evening in Toronto. A mediator, William Kaplan, joined both sides at the table.
The union confirmed the discussions but said the strike is still active. CUPE repeated that it wants a fair deal that pays attendants for the extra ground hours the airline does not currently recognize.
Economic and Legal Questions
Rafael Gomez, an industrial relations expert at the University of Toronto, said the union may have a strong legal case. The back-to-work law is usually meant for long strikes that show no progress, not one that is only a few days old.
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PM Mark Carney also spoke about the issue. He said it was disappointing that eight months of talks had not brought an agreement. He praised the important role of flight attendants in keeping passengers safe and agreed they deserve fair pay. At the same time, he pointed out that hundreds of thousands of people now face travel chaos.
Air Canada’s Offer & Wider Impact
Air Canada stated that, under its proposal, senior flight attendants would earn an average of CAD$87,000 ($65,000) by 2027. CUPE rejected the offer, saying it falls below inflation and market pay levels.
The Business Council of Canada also raised concerns. It warned that the strike could hurt the economy at a time when US President Donald Trump’s tariffs are already adding pressure. The disruption, therefore, is not only about flights but also about broader economic stability and trade.
Focus on Ground Duties
The dispute revolves around unpaid ground work. Flight attendants claim that they put in a lot of overtime serving customers, waiting for delays, and boarding without getting paid for their labour.
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The walkout has already sparked conversations about worker rights, fair compensation, and how airlines strike a balance between cost and safety. In addition to serving passengers in the air, airline employees also perform additional, usually unpaid responsibilities.
