Pierre Poilievre, the opposition leader and Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau’s primary political rival, stated that he would not endorse any
actions that would interfere with ongoing negotiations between the airline and
the union representing the pilots.
“I would call on Air Canada to negotiate in good faith with
the pilots,” he told reporters on September 11. “We stand with the pilots and
their right to fight for a fair deal, good wages.”
The airline plans to halt flights beginning September 15 if
an agreement is not reached with the union representing over 5,000 pilots.
On that date, the pilots will be able to issue a 72-hour
strike notice, and the airline intends to start canceling flights
progressively, culminating in a complete shutdown by September 18. This
situation adds to the labor challenges facing Trudeau’s Liberal government.
In August, a tribunal granted the government’s request to
mandate locked-out rail workers to return to work and enter binding arbitration
following a one-day strike that disrupted supply chains.
Should a strike against Air Canada occur, the government
might pursue a similar course of action; however, an unnamed official indicated
that they do not intend to use this authority hastily.
Another possibility would be to introduce back-to-work
legislation in Parliament, but the Liberals would require support from one of
the three main opposition parties to pass it.
Poilievre’s remarks imply he would oppose such legislation.
The Bloc Québécois, holding the third-largest number of seats, expressed on
September 11 that it favors the workers' position.
The New Democratic Party, which aligns with unions, recently
withdrew its support for the Liberals on significant votes. Although the
Conservatives are typically seen as pro-business, Poilievre has positioned
himself as an advocate for workers, while NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has labeled
this move as politically motivated.
“Don’t let him fool you. This is someone who attacks
workers,” Singh said on September 11. “Whenever push comes to shove, he’s not
going to choose the workers. He’s going to choose his corporate buddies.”
Numerous business organizations, including the Canadian
Chamber of Commerce, collectively dispatched an open letter on September 11th
to the Honorable Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Labor, earnestly requesting his
intervention. In the event that the involved parties fail to reach a mutually
beneficial agreement, the federal government must proactively intervene and
direct the matter to binding arbitration, as emphasized by the aforementioned
business groups.
“The impact of a strike would extend far beyond passenger
travel for both urban and rural Canadians — it would significantly disrupt
Canada’s supply chain,” they said.
Air Canada, a prominent airline, facilitates the daily
travel of over 110,000 individuals. A potential work stoppage would not only
disrupt passenger travel but also significantly impact the airline’s cargo
operations, which handle the transportation of commercial goods, perishable
items, and essential components for manufacturers.
The union representing Air Canada pilots is actively
pursuing negotiations to address a substantial pay disparity with their
counterparts at major U.S. airlines. According to the union, Air Canada pilots
currently receive less than half the compensation of their industry peers,
creating a significant wage gap.
“After nine years of the NDP-Liberals, U.S. pilots make a
lot more money and pay a lot less taxes,” Poilievre said. “Pilots at Air Canada
are simply trying to make up for the ground they lost as a result of the
government-caused inflation.”