Canada’s largest airline, Air Canada, is preparing to gradually resume operations following a historic strike by its unionized flight attendants, the first in nearly 40 years. The resolution comes after the airline reached a tentative agreement with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) early Tuesday morning, ending a nearly four-day walkout that disrupted travel for hundreds of thousands of passengers.
Union Celebrates a Hard-Fought Victory
CUPE, representing nearly 10,400 flight attendants, described the agreement as a major victory in reclaiming workers’ rights. “Unpaid work is over. We have reclaimed our voice and our power,” the union said in a statement. “When our rights were taken away, we stood strong, we fought back — and we secured a tentative agreement that our members can vote on.”
The strike, which began Saturday, affected roughly 130,000 travelers per day. The union highlighted long-standing grievances over wages, unpaid work, and work rules, noting that employees were not compensated for essential duties such as boarding passengers, checking baggage, and performing safety procedures.
Flights to Resume Gradually
Air Canada announced that flights would gradually restart Tuesday evening, though full service could take up to a week or more to stabilize. Customers with canceled flights are offered refunds, travel credits, or rebooking options on alternate airlines. In early trading on Tuesday, shares of Air Canada rose four percent following the announcement, recovering from a year-to-date loss of approximately 14 percent.
Negotiations and the Tense Standoff
The deal came after marathon negotiations stretching from 7:00 pm local time on Monday to 4:23 am Tuesday. CUPE emphasized that its members must now fully cooperate with resumption of operations.
During the strike, union leaders maintained a defiant stance, even after the Canada Industrial Relations Board declared the action unlawful and ordered a return to work. CUPE national president Mark Hancock stated, “We’re going to stay strong. We’re going to stay committed to making sure those workers can do the job that they love doing and actually be able to afford a roof over their heads. And if it means folks like me going to jail, then so be it.”
Government Response
Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu sought to address allegations of unpaid work within the airline sector, saying, “I’ve also heard the allegations of unpaid work. It’s unacceptable. Nobody should work for free in this country. In fact, we expect to get paid for the work we perform. That’s why I’ve ordered a probe into the allegation of unpaid work in the airline sector. We will start this probe immediately.”
Traveller Frustration
The strike led to widespread disruptions, with analytics firm Cirium estimating nearly 1,219 domestic and 1,339 international flights suspended. Retiree Klaus Hickman, who missed a flight to Toronto, expressed frustration but also sympathy for the workers’ cause: “They want to get more money to survive. And so it is with everybody else.”
Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, Canada’s busiest hub, confirmed it would call in extra staff to assist as Air Canada works to restore full operations this week.