The Canadian government on Saturday moved to end a strike by Air Canada's cabin crews and require binding arbitration to break their contract impasse, an action that the country's largest carrier had sought but unionized flight attendants fiercely opposed.
Thousands of Air Canada flight attendants walked off the job for the first time since 1985, just before 1 a.m. Eastern Time after months of negotiations over a new contract. In anticipation of the stoppage, the airline canceled nearly all of its 700 daily flights, forcing more than 100,000 travelers to scramble for alternatives or stay put.
The most contentious issue in the contract negotiations has been the union's demand for compensation for time spent on the ground between flights and when helping passengers board. Attendants are largely paid only when their plane is moving. Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu said at a news conference she had asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to impose binding arbitration on both sides and order an immediate end to the strike. Still, she told reporters it may take 24 to 48 hours for the board to complete that work, while Air Canada has said restarting operations after a strike would take a week to complete.
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