OTTAWA — The Green Party of Canada is calling out the Liberal government for siding with Air Canada executives and forcing flight attendants back to work through binding arbitration after today’s strike action.
More than 10,000 flight attendants represented by CUPE walked off the job after nearly eight months of stalled negotiations. Workers have endured years of sacrifice, including wage cuts and lost vacation time during Air Canada’s financial crises, while executives now collect millions in compensation. Within hours of the strike, Labour Minister Patty Hajdu ordered the Canada Industrial Relations Board to impose arbitration, effectively stripping workers of their right to strike.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said this action violates fundamental rights protected by the Charter. “When Air Canada was on the brink, it was flight attendants and other workers who kept the airline alive. Now those same workers are told their voices don’t matter. This is not the Canada we believe in—workers have the right to fair bargaining without being silenced by corporate power and government convenience.”
The Greens are urging Air Canada to return to the table in good faith, restore what was taken from workers, and respect the rights of those who keep the airline flying.
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