The Air Canada Component of CUPE had barely begun its strike before the government intervened.
The news has broken that Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu has invoked Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to impose binding arbitration on the parties to the Air Canada labour dispute, mere hours into a strike by the Air Canada Component of CUPE.
President Thomas Hesse of UFCW Local 401 offers the following response:
“It’s very disappointing to see the government intervene in this situation. When workers have clear bargaining power, in this case exercising a 99.7% strike vote, governments are all too anxious to take it away.
“I’m reminded of our strike at JBS twenty years ago, where the force of workers was powerful. Before we went on strike, the Alberta government imposed a ‘Disputes Inquiry Board’ (or DIB) that initially prevented the strike and most certainly delayed it.
“We worry that if we have a strike at Safeway or Superstore, our provincial government might interfere. Employers and public policymakers finally recognized the importance of retail workers during the pandemic, calling them ‘essential’. There is some legitimate worry that the Alberta government could interfere with their bargaining power on those grounds.
“To be clear, there are times when arbitration could be appropriate, but workers need to have a say in that. If a company is union-busting and exploiting vulnerable workers, an arbitration could be a solution. But ultimately, workers should choose whether they prefer an enduring strike or an alternative solution that results in workplace justice.
“In the case of the flight attendants, the government’s actions are a shocking intrusion into workers’ rights. They barely had an opportunity to picket, to protest, and to use their constitutionally protected right to strike to make their point and to pressure Air Canada into a fair settlement. Their legs were cut out from underneath them before the paint on their picket signs had a chance to dry.”
Secretary Treasurer Richelle Stewart of UFCW 401 adds:
“This circumstance reminds us of the powerful forces that we face when we go to the bargaining table. It is nevertheless clear that the 99.7% strike vote resulted in a better deal than flight attendants would have had if they had not shown that kind of strength and solidarity.
“It’s important to remember that a strong strike vote is always a good investment in the process, and it almost always gets a better deal for workers.”
Your Union will continue to keep a close eye on these events and to comment on what they might mean for our members. Stay tuned!
Posted on: August 16,2025