Air Canada strike: As intervention calls grow, ‘we’re not going to do that,’ Trudeau says

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the onus is on Air Canada and the pilots’ union to reach a deal to avoid a strike or lockout — and not on the federal government.

“Every time there’s a strike, people say, ‘Oh, you’ll get the government to come in and fix it.’ We’re not going to do that,” Trudeau said, speaking to reporters in Montreal on Friday.

“I’m not going to put my thumb on the scale on either side. It is up to Air Canada and the pilots union to do the work to figure out how to make sure that they are not hurting millions of Canadians who rely on air travel, thousands and thousands of businesses across this country who will be hurt if they can’t get the work done at the bargaining table,” he said.

Trudeau said the federal government is continuing to put “pressure” on Air Canada and the union representing their pilots to reach a deal at the negotiating table.

“We need to make sure the parties are working extremely hard to resolve this. Minister of Labour Steve MacKinnon met with both parties yesterday. He’s continuing to put pressure on them by highlighting that millions of Canadians and that thousands upon thousands of businesses rely on Air Canada every single day for for their success,” Trudeau said.

He added, “We’re going to continue to put all the pressure we can on the parties to resolve things where they need to – at the bargaining table – as quickly as possible.”

Air Canada could start winding up operations and cancelling flights imminently ahead of Sunday’s strike deadline.

If the union representing its pilots fail to come to a negotiated settlement to avoid a strike or shutdown, the federal government must be prepared to bring in binding arbitration or force pilots back to work, a group representing small businesses said on Friday morning.

This comes as the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the union representing Air Canada pilots in the labour dispute, says it will be meeting with Air Canada on Friday to try to work out a deal.

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“We continue to meet with Air Canada today in an effort to reach a new contract at the negotiating table, and avoid legal job action and the effects of that on our passengers,” First Officer Charlene Hudy, chair of the Air Canada ALPA master executive council, told Global News in a statement.

Unless a settlement is reached by Sunday, either Air Canada or the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which represents 5,200 Air Canada pilots, could issue a 72-hour lockout or strike notice.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business, urged all parties to ensure that flight services remain in place and a deal is reached at the table.

Dan Kelly, CFIB president, said in a statement, “If Air Canada and the Air Line Pilots Association can’t reach an agreement, the federal government must be prepared to step in and impose binding arbitration or back-to-work legislation. It’s the government’s responsibility to make sure small businesses and our economy don’t suffer another costly disruption to Canada’s transportation network.”

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Council of Canada also issued a joint statement.

“Every year, millions of Canadians and Americans travel back and forth by air, as do critical, time sensitive goods. The Government of Canada must take swift action to avoid another labour disruption that negatively impacts cross-border travel and trade, a damaging outcome for both people and businesses,” the statement said.

Business, industry and tourism groups have called on the federal government to intervene, before a strike or a lockout disrupts air travel.

Air Canada president and CEO Michael Rousseau said in a statement Monday that while there was still time to reach an agreement with the pilots, “Canadians have recently seen the chaos abrupt airline shutdowns cause for travellers, which obliges us to do everything we can to protect our customers from an increasingly likely work stoppage.”

The 72-hour shutdown or strike notice period could begin anytime after midnight on Sunday, with operations expected to come to a complete halt by Wednesday, Sept. 18. However, some operations would have to start winding down as early as Friday, the airline said.

Rosseau said 80 per cent of Air Canada’s passengers could be affected by work stoppages. The airline said it will begin an “orderly shutdown” of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge operations once a strike or lockout notice is issued.

1:59 Business Matters: What to know as Air Canada pilot strike looms

Duncan Dee, former Air Canada chief operating officer, told Global News, “Air Canada will start winding down their operations by moving aircraft closer and closer to their bases, where they have crews and mechanics available to take care of those aircraft during a disruption so that in a restart of operations, they can do so much more quickly, with much less impact on travellers.”

Air Canada Express flights will continue to operate, as third-party carriers Jazz and PAL Airlines provide these services. However, these regional partners carry only about 20 per cent of Air Canada’s daily customers, many of whom ultimately connect on Air Canada flights.

The airline said a work stoppage could affect 110,000 passengers a day.

ALPA on Thursday set up a “strike headquarters” near Toronto Pearson  International Airport. The union said in a statement this was being done to support its members if a strike occurs.

Last month, the pilots have voted overwhelmingly to approve a strike mandate if an agreement on a new contract cannot be reached.

First Officer Charlene Hudy, chair of the Air Canada ALPA master executive council, said in a statement, “Rather than taking shots at the professional pilots who safely transport their passengers day in and day out, Air Canada should stop threatening to disrupt air travel and come to the bargaining table with serious proposals to keep the flagship Canadian carrier competitive in the global aviation market.”

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said his party would “never support” any back-to-work legislation.

Speaking at a press conference earlier in Ottawa on Wednesday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre had called for a “fair deal” and for Air Canada to negotiate in “good faith” with the union workers.