Air Canada strike escalates as airline refuses to resume talks without return to work

Air Canada’s ongoing business dispute concentrated on August 18, 2025, because the airline announced that it would not continue negotiations with striking flight officials until the airline returned to work. This announcement came despite the order of a Federal Working Council, which made an illegal and arbitration obligatory.

The strike includes approximately 10,000 flight officials represented by the Canadian Public Employees Association (CUPE). The union protested unpaid ground tasks such as passenger boarding and security controls and is looking for higher wages. Air Canada offered a 38 percent increase in compensation for four years, but Cupe rejected the offer, expressed concerns about inflation and inadequate compensation for ground tasks.

Despite the order of the Canadian Industrial Relations Board’s order of the Union to return to work and apply for binding arbitration, COPE leaders prefer to encounter legal consequences rather than abandoning their strikes. Union President Mark Hancock stressed that a fair decision is not only arbitration, but can be carried out with direct negotiations.
The ongoing strike broke the trip for approximately 130,000 passengers a day in the most intense summer season. Air Canada canceled hundreds of flights, including services to major US centers such as San Francisco and New York, and suspended profit forecasts due to the financial impact of business dispute.

Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed his concerns about hitching and called on both sides to solve the issue quickly. However, while the union is stable and maintains its airline posture, the solution of this labor dispute remains uncertain.

Travelers are advised to monitor Air Canada’s official communication for updates about flight situations and potentially starting services.