The Canadian Union of Public Employees, representing more than 10,000 Air Canada cabin crew, on Wednesday gave the airline a 72-hour deadline to reach a pay deal or face strike, hours after the carrier asked sought federal government intervention.
The strike is set to begin at about 1 a.m. ET on Saturday. Earlier this month, 99.7 percent of employees represented by the union voted for a strike.
The airline, which has warned of potential flight disruptions, has said customers would be fully refunded for cancellations, which could hit lucrative routes between Canada, the United States, Europe, and Asia.
The airline also issued a lockdown notice beginning 32 minutes after the strike. It had declared a deadlock in negotiations on Tuesday, after the union rejected its proposal for binding arbitration.
The carrier had offered a 38 percent increase in total compensation for flight attendants over four years, with a 25 percent raise in the first year.
However, the union said the offer was "below inflation, below market value, below minimum wage - and still leaves flight attendants unpaid for all hours of work".
The standoff is disrupting service by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, which together carry about 130,000 customers a day. It's also creating a fresh test for the country's Liberal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney which was asked by Air Canada to impose binding arbitration on the two sides.
Canada's Minister of Jobs and Families on Tuesday encouraged both parties to remain at the table until a deal is reached.
Most airlines pay cabin crew only for time spent in flight, but flight attendants in North America are seeking pay for all hours worked, including boarding and waiting at airports before and between flights.
The airline had on Wednesday issued a lockout notice to employees, which would start 32 minutes after the strike begins.
(Reuters)
