Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it’s up to Air Canada and the union representing its pilots to reach an agreement to avoid disrupting travellers and businesses.
Speaking at an event in Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue, Que., on Friday, Trudeau said he wouldn’t tip the scales toward either party, while dodging the question of whether he would force pilots back to work.
Air Canada says some operations will start to be affected today as time is running out before a potential shutdown because of a labour dispute with its pilots.
The airline on Thursday called for the government to be ready to intervene to avoid major disruptions a shutdown would cause for its more than 110,000 travellers a day.
It says some services like cargo and vacation packages will start to be affected today, while a full shutdown could happen on Sept. 18.
The airline and pilots will be in a position starting Sunday to issue 72-hour notice of a strike or lockout. The airline has said the notice would trigger its three-day wind-down plan and start the clock on a full work stoppage.
CBC’s Linda Ward looks at what travellers can do if they’ve booked a flight with Air Canada ahead of a possible pilots’ strike.
The airline says the union is being inflexible with “unreasonable wage demands.”
The union has said that it is corporate greed that’s holding up talks, as Air Canada continues to post record profits while expecting pilots to accept below-market compensation.