Government urged to act on “alarming” Air Canada strike threat

A group of business organisations have urged Canada’s federal government to take action to avoid an Air Canada strike that would hit cargo operations and “significantly disrupt Canada’s supply chain”.

In a letter to Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Labour and Seniors, the organisations said that the potential for labour disruption if a strike by Air Canada’s pilots goes ahead is “alarming”.

“The federal government needs to take decisive action,” said the group, which includes the Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters (IE Canada), the Western Canadian Shippers’ Coalition, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Retail Council of Canada.

“Should the parties not come to a negotiated agreement, the federal government must prioritize Canadians and be prepared to act in advance to prevent yet another damaging disruption by referring the matter to binding arbitration where a neutral arbitrator can resolve any outstanding issues,” continued the letter.

“Swift action will ensure that a fair and sustainable resolution can be achieved, ensuring the stability and continuity of operations that are so vital to Canada’s prosperity.”

The letter was sent in response to a press release by Air Canada on September 9 that stated its cargo operations are under threat and that it was “finalising contingency plans to suspend most of its operations” in the face of possible industrial action by pilots represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) union, due to an ongoing dispute over pay.

Air Canada said that unless a pay agreement is reached with ALPA – representing more than 5,200 pilots at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge, from September 15, operations could be impacted by a 72-hour strike or lock out notice and this would trigger the carrier’s three-day wind down plan, with flights progressively cancelled over three days.

In the event of a complete shutdown of operations, Air Canada estimated it would take up to 7 to 10 days to resume normal operations.

The letter to MacKinnon further emphasised the crucial nature of Air Canada’s cargo network for supply chains. “For example, radioactive isotopes, which are crucial for cancer treatments, are shipped via Air Canada Cargo domestically and internationally due to their 48-hour lifespan,” said the letter. “A disruption in this service, however short, would be devastating, as no other means of transport can meet the stringent time requirements for these products.”

The organisations also noted that the “timing of this potential strike could not be worse” due to the recent rail labour disputes in Canada.

Preparations for potential pilot strike action have been underway for quite some time at Air Canada after talks over pay and conditions broke down at the end of August, after 15 months of discussions.

Air Canada expects cargo disruption with any strike shutdown

Air Canada expects cargo disruption with any strike shutdown