Air Canada will start cancelling flights on Thursday following a 72-hour strike notice from the Canadian flight attendants’ union (CUPE), which represents 10,000 workers. This decision comes after failed contract negotiations, with the union asserting that Air Canada did not address key issues like wages and unpaid work hours. Air Canada has issued a lockout notification and claims the union’s demands are exorbitant.
The strike is set to begin Saturday at 05:00 GMT, affecting up to 130,000 customers, including 25,000 Canadians, amid peak summer travel. Customers should not go to the airport if they don’t have confirmed flights. Air Canada is working to optimize services beforehand and plans to offer full refunds and alternative travel arrangements for cancelled flights.
CCIT staff have protested at Toronto Pearson Airport regarding these labor disputes, while the airline argues their wage offer includes a 38% increase over four years. However, CUPE maintains that this does not meet inflation rates or market standards. A significant majority of union members voted in favor of a strike earlier this month.
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