Labor Party Pushes for the Elimination of Article 107 in the Labour Code
Air Canada American Eagle Flight Attendants' Strike Ends After Binding Arbitration
After a prolonged standoff, Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) have reached an agreement, following the federal government's invocation of Article 107 to order binding arbitration.
The dispute, which began in August, saw flight attendants representing CUPE continuing to strike despite the government's order. The union's members, donning red shirts and brandishing signs with messages such as 'Unpaid work will not stand' and 'We are not just a number,' gathered on Parliament Hill to voice their dissatisfaction.
At the heart of the dispute was the compensation and payment for the time flight attendants spend working when the planes are not flying. CUPE National President Mark Hancock expressed the union's concern, stating that flight attendants work for free for approximately 35 hours per month.
The union had been negotiating with the company for nine months, but Hugh Pouliot, spokesperson for CUPE, mentioned that there was no evidence that three additional days of mediation would result in an acceptable outcome. As a result, the union had asked to bypass mediation and go directly to arbitration.
In response to the strike, the federal government launched an investigation into unpaid work in the American airline industry, with an expected completion date by early December. The investigation, initiated in 2022, was announced by the government itself.
The NDP has been actively involved in the issue, with NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice planning to introduce a bill this fall to repeal a section of the Canada Labour Code that allows the government to end strikes. Boulerice, the NDP's labour spokesperson, accused both the Liberals and Conservatives of abusing Article 107.
In a show of support, CUPE National President Mark Hancock voiced his backing for the NDP's decision to abolish Article 107. The NDP has contacted the House of Commons to begin working on a private member's bill to repeal Article 107, and the bill is expected to be introduced soon.
The union had overwhelmingly rejected Air Canada's latest salary offer in a vote on September 6. However, the details of the agreement reached a few days later between Air Canada and the flight attendants have not been disclosed.
The agreement, which ended the strike, includes improvements in salaries, pensions, benefits, and a new contractual element that recognizes time spent on the ground. Air Canada has not yet released a formal statement regarding the agreement.
Despite the resolution, the union members have declared that they would not comply if Article 107 is used against local CUPE sections in the future. The NDP's efforts to repeal Article 107 aim to prevent such situations in the future and protect the rights of workers.
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