The union representing Air Canada flight attendants has indicated that it plans to go on strike over the weekend.
The Air Canada component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees is in a position to strike as of 12:58 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 16.
“At 12:58 a.m. ET [Wednesday], we officially served notice to strike. This decision was not made lightly, but it is necessary. We are ready, we are strong, and we will not back down,” the union wrote.
“Now, we need every member to take action: Contact your Member of Parliament today. Tell them to respect our right to strike and to support our fight for fair compensation for all the work we do.”
In response, Air Canada has issued a notice of lockout starting at 1:30 a.m. ET on Saturday.
The union last week voted 99.7 per cent in favour of a strike mandate, which is effective for 60 days.
Air Canada, a component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), and the airline have been in contract talks since the beginning of the year, and the strike mandate comes after the airline and union concluded a conciliation process without reaching a deal.
Air Canada says it will notify customers whose flights are potentially cancelled. They will be eligible for a full refund, which could be obtained through its website or the Air Canada mobile app.
CUPE declined a proposal from the airline to enter a binding arbitration process on Tuesday.