Striking Air Canada workers ordered back on job

Government forces arbitration after flight attendants' walkout halts service globally.

- BY ROB GILLIES AND RIO YAMAT

ARLYN MCADOREY Bloomberg via Getty Images AIR CANADA flight attendants picket at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Canada's government forced Air Canada and its striking flight attendants back to work and into arbitration Saturday after a work stoppage stranded more than 100,000 travelers around the world during the peak summer travel season.

Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu said now is not the time to take risks with the economy, noting the unprecedented tariffs the U.S. has imposed on Canada. The intervention means the 10,000 flight attendants will return to work soon.

The government's action came less than 12 hours after workers walked off the job.

"The talks broke down. It is clear that the parties are not any closer to resolving some of the key issues that remain and they will need help with the arbitrator," Hajdu said.

Hajdu said the full resumption of services could take days, noting it is up to the Canada Industrial Relations Board.

Meanwhile, Wesley Lesosky, president of the Air Canada component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, or CUPE, accused the government of violating the flight attendants' constitutional right to strike and criticized Hajdu for waiting only hours to intervene.

"The Liberal government is rewarding Air Canada's refusal to negotiate fairly by giving them exactly what they wanted," Lesosky said.

Air Canada did not immediately have additional comments when reached Saturday afternoon. But Air Canada Chief Operating Officer Mark Nasr previously said it could take up to a week to fully restart operations, meaning travelers may continue to face disruptions in the coming days.

The shutdown of Canada's largest airline early Saturday is affecting about 130,000 people a day, and some 25,000 Canadians may be stranded. Air Canada operates around 700 flights per day.