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45m ago

Air Canada Flight Attendant Strike Defies Back-to-Work Order as Talks Resume

The federal Section 107 arbitration order now faces a CUPE court challenge.

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Air Canada employees and union members protest outside the Air Canada headquarters in Montreal, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, after the federal government intervened in the labour dispute between the airline and the union representing its flight attendants, ordering binding arbitration and operations to resume. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Passengers walk past an Air Canada sign, ahead of a potential strike by flight attendants of the airline, at the Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, August 14, 2025. REUTERS/Kyaw Soe Oo/File Photo

Overview

  • Negotiations restarted in Toronto on Monday evening with mediator William Kaplan, but the union says the walkout continues.
  • Air Canada extended the cancellation of all mainline and Rouge flights through 4 p.m. ET Tuesday, disrupting travel for hundreds of thousands of passengers.
  • The Canada Industrial Relations Board ruled the strike unlawful and ordered attendants to resume duties immediately, extending the expired contract during binding arbitration.
  • CUPE filed a Federal Court challenge to the directive and leaders said they are prepared to face fines or jail rather than end the strike.
  • Pay and unpaid ground duties remain the core issues; Air Canada cites a four-year offer worth about 38% more in total compensation, which the union rejects as insufficient.