Air Canada to Resume Flights Sunday After Ottawa Steps in to End Strike

Air Canada to Resume Flights After Government-Ordered Arbitration Ends Brief Flight Attendants’ Strike

Air Canada has announced plans to resume flight operations starting Sunday evening, following a swift federal government intervention that put an end to a short-lived but disruptive flight attendants’ strike. The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) issued a binding arbitration order late Saturday, directing both the airline and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) to return to work and resume negotiations.

Air Canada vs CUPE labor dispute

The strike and lockout—initiated by CUPE and Air Canada, respectively—lasted less than 12 hours, but still had a ripple effect across the airline’s scheduling and customer operations. The airline, headquartered in Montreal, has advised travelers to only proceed to the airport if they have a confirmed booking and if their flights are marked as operating, as it could take several days for operations to fully stabilize.

Government Steps In to End Labour Standoff

The federal government, through Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu, acted quickly to prevent further disruption by invoking its power to mandate binding arbitration. The move came after Air Canada had been publicly urging the government for days to intervene and prevent the looming strike action.

Related Topic: Air Canada Reports Deadlock in Talks with Flight Attendants’ Union

On Saturday, CUPE—which represents over 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants—formally declared a strike after failing to reach a last-minute agreement with the airline. In retaliation, Air Canada initiated a lockout of union members just 30 minutes after the strike began. The government’s immediate intervention brought the industrial action to a halt, avoiding widespread chaos at Canadian airports.

However, the decision sparked controversy.

Union Blasts Government for Favoring Airline Over Workers

In a strongly worded statement, CUPE accused Minister Hajdu and the Liberal government of siding with corporate interests. The union argued that forcing employees back to work, rather than allowing negotiations to proceed naturally, undermines the rights of organized labor in Canada.

“The Liberal government is rewarding Air Canada’s refusal to negotiate fairly by giving them exactly what they wanted,” CUPE stated on Saturday.

The union also warned that this move could set a dangerous precedent for future labor disputes in federally regulated industries, especially in the transportation sector, where recent government interventions have become more common.

What’s Next: Arbitration and Return to the Table

With the strike now halted and arbitration in motion, Air Canada and CUPE are expected to return to the bargaining table later this week. While operations are resuming gradually, the underlying labor tensions remain unresolved.

The CIRB’s directive includes instructions for flight attendants to return to duty by 2:00 p.m. ET, and Air Canada has reiterated its commitment to resuming normal operations—but cautioned that passengers may still experience delays or rebooking issues over the coming days.