Calgary (Rajeev Sharma) : Air Canada has issued a statutory 72-hour lockout notice to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge. The move follows CUPE’s notice of intent to strike as early as August 16.
To provide passengers with certainty, the airline will begin a phased wind-down of most operations over the next three days and has requested government directed arbitration to resolve the impasse. Despite eight months of negotiations with federal conciliators, Air Canada says no tentative agreement could be reached, even after its August 11 proposal offering a 38% total compensation increase over four years, improved pensions, benefits, crew rest provisions, and ground pay without asking for concessions from flight attendants.
Air Canada President and CEO Michael Rousseau said the lockout aims to avoid an “unplanned or uncontrolled shutdown” that could create chaos for travelers. He added that the company’s latest offer would have made its flight attendants the best compensated in Canada.
