Minister Patty Hajdu Issues Directive for Air Canada and Striking Flight Crew to Resume Duties
The labour dispute between Air Canada and its flight attendants, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), has reached a tentative agreement that ended the strike, which began on August 16, 2025.
The Canadian federal government had issued a back-to-work order declaring the strike unlawful, but the union initially defied the order before agreeing to return to negotiations. Following mediation overseen by William Kaplan, a mediated settlement was reached by August 19, with Air Canada announcing a gradual resumption of its flight operations starting that evening.
The resumption of Air Canada flights is a complex process expected to take 7 to 10 days to return to full normal service due to aircraft and crew positioning issues caused by the strike. The airline apologized for the disruption and urged passenger patience as the schedule stabilizes. Customers are advised to check flight statuses and only arrive at the airport with confirmed itineraries. Air Canada has expanded reimbursement policies for affected passengers and is coordinating with partner airlines to manage rebookings and capacity.
Flight attendants are scheduled to vote on the tentative agreement between August 27 and September 6, 2025. If rejected, they would be unable to legally strike again due to the back-to-work order, but the dispute could be prolonged through an extended negotiation or other forms of job action.
The strike has caused significant disruption to air travel in Canada, with about 3,000 cancelled flights and an estimated 130,000 affected passengers daily during the strike. The jobs minister has stated that 40% of the shipments of critical goods such as pharmaceuticals and organ tissue inside the country are moved by Air Canada, and it is crucial that they continue to reach their destinations. Despite the airline's uncertainty about when its operations will resume, hundreds of planes remain grounded across the country.
Unifor, Canada's largest private sector union, has denounced the federal government's imposition of binding arbitration and offered support to CUPE members. Lana Payne, Unifor National President, stated that the government's move sends a clear message to federally regulated employers not to bargain fairly with workers because the government will step in to strip away their right to strike.
The dispute has also received attention from Air Canada's customers around the world, with many experiencing travel disruptions as a result. The airline's lockout of its agents about 30 minutes after the strike began due to the strike action has further complicated the situation.
In summary, the labour dispute between Air Canada and its flight attendants has ended with a tentative agreement on August 19, 2025, after defying a federal back-to-work order issued August 17. Air Canada began gradually resuming flights from August 19 evening, with full restoration expected within 7–10 days. The estimated impact included about 3,000 cancelled flights and 130,000 affected passengers daily during the strike. Flight attendants’ ratification vote is scheduled for August 27–September 6, with legal strike restrictions during that period. The federal government’s intervention included back-to-work orders to halt strikes, but CUPE initially resisted enforcement. Recovery efforts are now underway, but it could be several days before Air Canada's operations resume and return to normal.
- The tentative agreement between Air Canada and its flight attendants, overseen by mediator William Kaplan, was reached amid a complex web of politics, policy-and-legislation, and general news, as the Canadian federal government issued a back-to-work order, Unifor denounced the imposition of binding arbitration, and passengers globally felt the impact of the disrupted air travel.
- The resumption of Air Canada’s flight operations, following the labor dispute, is expected to take 7 to 10 days and is a significant shift in the country's economic landscape, considering that 40% of the shipments of critical goods such as pharmaceuticals and organ tissue inside Canada are moved by Air Canada.
