Air Canada flight attendants picket at Winnipeg’s airport before strike ordered to end

More than 30 striking flight attendants rallied outside Air Canada’s departures gate at Winnipeg’s airport Saturday morning, joining colleagues across the country on picket lines before being ordered back to work.

Shannon Marion picketed with 35 of her colleagues, calling for fair wages, before news of the federal government’s order broke.

“I love my job. Air Canada is a great company. I just feel that there’s not fair negotiations happening at this moment,” she said. “Inflation has risen. We need to be paid.”

Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu ordered binding arbitration for the 10,000 workers, ending a work stoppage that had begun less than 12 hours earlier, late Saturday morning.

The employees went on strike after Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees failed to reach a contract agreement before the Friday night deadline.

The labour dispute largely centres on wage increases and compensation for unpaid work hours. Flight attendants issued a 72-hour strike notice Wednesday, prompting Air Canada to issue a lockout notice in response.

Marion said she works an average of 35 to 40 hours unpaid each month. Flight attendants are not compensated for safety and equipment checks, crew briefings and boarding time.

“If there’s a delay, we’re still not paid. We don’t get paid until the plane takes off,” she said. “They say it’s the industry standard. Well, it shouldn’t be an industry standard.”

The strike grounded all flights and would have affected roughly 130,000 travellers per day, Air Canada said in a news release.

The airline announced Friday it had cancelled 34 flights, affecting more than 7,000 passengers. That followed Thursday’s disruption, when more than 300 flight attendants failed to report for work, cancelling 19 flights and impacting more than 3,000 passengers.

Martin, who declined to give his last name, was grounded at Winnipeg’s airport Saturday morning because of the disruption.

“I wish (Air Canada) would have figured something out earlier,” he said. “But if these guys aren’t getting paid properly, then something needs to be done.”

CUPE has said junior Air Canada flight attendants working full-time (75 flight hours per month) earn $1,952 before tax.

Marion said it’s time for wages to keep up with inflation.

“I have colleagues who are living in poverty, accessing food banks,” she said.

Marion’s niece, a junior flight attendant who was also on the picket line, lived with her at one point because she couldn’t afford rent.

“It’s ridiculous,” Marion said.

CUPE Manitoba president Gina McKay said the union will stand alongside workers until the bitter end.

“We’re the largest public sector union in Manitoba, 37,000 members, and we’ve got their back,” she said.

nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca