CIRB Declares Flight Attendant Strike at Air Canada Unlawful and Orders CUPE Leaders to Direct Flight Attendants Back to Work Français
- Board orders union and its officers to immediately cease all activities that declare or authorize an unlawful strike
- Individual flight attendants directed to resume their duties
- CUPE leadership told to publicly call halt to unlawful activity
MONTREAL, Aug. 18, 2025 /CNW/ - Air Canada today said the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) has declared ongoing strike activity by the company's 10,000 flight attendants is illegal and has ordered the leadership of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) to direct its members to return to work.
Following a hearing on August 17, the CIRB declared that CUPE's strike is unlawful. It ordered the union leadership, which authorized the strike, to immediately tell its members to end the work stoppage. It also directed individual members of the union to cease all unlawful activities and return to work. In its ruling the board declared:
- The union and its officers are ordered to immediately cease all activities that declare or authorize an unlawful strike of its members and to direct the members of the bargaining unit to resume the performance of their duties;
- The members of the union's bargaining unit are directed to resume the performance of their duties immediately and to refrain from engaging in unlawful strike activities;
- The union and its officers shall provide written public notice, either through its website or other means, to all members by 12:00 pm EDT on August 18, 2025, that it has revoked its declaration or authorization of strike activities and that all members are required to resume the performance of their duties.
Air Canada's intended restart of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, which have been grounded since August 16 by CUPE's labour disruption, was prevented on August 17 by the CUPE leadership's unlawful strike activities. The airline now estimates 500,000 customers' flights have been cancelled as a result. Air Canada regrets this impact on its customers and is fully committed to returning to service as soon as possible. Customers can find more information about their future flights and travel options at www.aircanada.com
Air Canada is Canada's largest airline, the country's flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network. Air Canada provides scheduled service directly to more than 180 airports in Canada, the United States and Internationally on six continents. It holds a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax. Air Canada's Aeroplan program is Canada's premier travel loyalty program, where members can earn or redeem points on the world's largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus through an extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental partners. Through Air Canada Vacations, it offers more travel choices than any other Canadian tour operator to hundreds of destinations worldwide, with a wide selection of hotels, flights, cruises, day tours, and car rentals. Its freight division, Air Canada Cargo, provides air freight lift and connectivity to hundreds of destinations across six continents using Air Canada's passenger and freighter aircraft. Air Canada's climate-related ambition includes a long-term aspirational goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. For additional information, please see Air Canada's TCFD disclosure. Air Canada shares are publicly traded on the TSX in Canada and the OTCQX in the US.
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