Air Canada flight attendants have taken a strike after the deadline to reach the deal has passed and travelers from around the world have been stuck during the summer travel season and left scramblings, according to NBC News.
Hugh Priot, a spokesman for the Canadian Civil Service Union, confirmed that the strike had begun after the deal was not reached, and said the airline would halt the operation soon after.
The fierce contract battle between Canada’s largest airline and the union representing 10,000 flight attendants escalated Friday to deny the airline’s demands to enter into government-controlled arbitration and eliminate the right to allow third-party mediators to determine the terms of the new contract.
The flight attendants finished work on a Saturday around 1am. Around the same time, Air Canada said it would begin locking flight attendants from the airport.
Federal Employment Minister Patti Hajidu met both the airline and the Union on Friday night, urging them to work harder to get a “once once” contract.
MA/PR