Air Canada halts flight restart after union defies back-to-work order
Category: News & Politics
Via: perrie-halpern • last year • 1 commentsBy: Max Burman, Matt Lavietes and Maya Eaglin
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Air Canada said Sunday it has suspended its plan to resume limited flights after the union representing its flight attendants told members to defy a federal order to return to work.
The airline now expects to restart operations Monday evening.
The Canadian Industrial Relations Board directed Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flight attendants to "resume their duties" by 2 p.m. ET Sunday after Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu imposed binding arbitration and extended the existing contract until a new agreement is reached.
But the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) called the order "blatantly unconstitutional" and said its members "remain on strike."
"We demand a fair, negotiated contract and to be compensated for all hours worked," CUPE's statement said.
Air Canada said the union's defiance forced it to cancel about 240 flights schedule for Sunday. The strike, which started early Saturday over pay and scheduling disputes, has already grounded roughly 700 flights a day, stranding an estimated 100,000 travelers during peak summer season.
The airline urged customers not to go to the airport unless they have confirmed flights and said it will offer refunds, credits or rebooking on other carriers, though seats are limited. Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz or PAL continue to run as scheduled.
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From The Beaverton ... some satire by Ian Macintyre:
Air Canada consoles stranded passengers with pictures of their executive bonuses
OTTAWA – With thousands of passengers still facing travel delays as flight attendants strike for fair working conditions, Air Canada executives have decided to comfort customers by sending photos of their bonuses earned off record $1.14 billion profits last year.
“We understand the frustration of having your return ticket abruptly cancelled just because we demand our flight attendants work for free before and after and sometimes during their shifts,” explains Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau.
“That’s why I’m sending a photo of my bank account, showing the millions I earned in bonuses last fiscal year, so that you can dream about all the jetskis I plan to buy while you’re sleeping on the ground in the Beijing Daxing International Airport,” Rousseau noted, adding a heart emoji to the photograph of his massive executive compensation.
Across the organization, Air Canada executives are showing they care by reaching out with photos of their bonus cheques, luxury Muskoka cottages, and private jets which they travel in because “Air Canada is for poor people.”
“I hope that this photo of my St. Barts vacation home makes you feel better,” explained Air Canada VP of Making The Seats Smaller, Melinda Frakes. “Better anyway than refunding your cancelled flight or using this largesse to pay our flight attendants a living wage, because we’re definitely not doing either of those.”
Sr. VP of Layover Extension Bernard Willmington III sent customers a photo of a pile of money with a Canadian flag planted in it. “Thank you to Mark Carney and the Liberals , whose taxpayer-funded 2021 bailout allowed Air Canada to buy back massive amounts of stock, underpay our employees, and still have the government side with us in this labour dispute. #OhCanada”
At press time Air Canada is offering stranded travellers the chance to fly home by working as non- union scab flight attendants, though made it clear that they will not be paid for that labour either.