OTTAWA – The federal government is intervening to resolve a labour dispute between Air Canada and the union representing flight attendants.
Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu says she has directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order both parties to resume operations and resolve the dispute through binding arbitration.
Passengers around the world are feeling the effects after the union representing more than 10,000 flight attendants with Air Canada announced its members were walking off the job after it was unable to reach an eleventh-hour deal with the airline.
The strike officially began just before 1 a.m. ET on Saturday and in turn, Air Canada locked out its agents about 30 minutes later due to the strike action.
Hajdu said that was already causing “significant harm” and having negative impacts on Canadians and the national economy.
Air Canada cancelled more than 600 flights over the past two days in preparation for a potential work stoppage, and Hajdu says it could be days before service returns to normal.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 16, 2025.
