Air Canada says no deal with flight attendants until flights resume

By Canadian Press on August 18, 2025.

TORONTO — Air Canada says its flight attendants need to return to work before the airline can push on with negotiations, even as the union says it won’t end its now unlawful strike until a deal is reached at the bargaining table.

Air Canada chief operating officer Mark Nasr says the airline is ready to work on an industry-leading deal, but can’t do that while planes are grounded.

The comments come as the airline has extended a cancellation of all Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights through 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

Nasr says the Canadian Union of Public Employees needs to direct flight attendants back to work because the Canada Industrial Relations Board has ruled the strike unlawful.

Earlier Monday, CUPE national president Mark Hancock said union leaders were prepared to face fines and jail to keep the strike going until a negotiated deal is reached.

The labour board ruling followed the federal government’s invoking of Section 107 of the Labour Code to force the two sides into binding arbitration.

Ian Bickis, The Canadian Press

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