Business groups across the country are concerned about the potential impact of a strike/lockout at Air Canada.
Corinne Pohlmann, Executive Vice-President of Advocacy at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), said small businesses are deeply concerned with the prospect of an Air Canada strike given the massive economic uncertainty currently facing the country.
“One-third of Canadian small firms depend on the summer tourism season for their revenues, and we cannot afford to lose a single day,” she said.
“Given the ongoing tariff disputes with the United States and China, Canadian businesses are scrambling to find new suppliers and customers in other provinces or other countries. Removing Canada’s major domestic and international carrier from service would be another blow at this critical time.
“We are calling on the airline and union to resolve this issue with no disruption to service. If this is unsuccessful, Ottawa needs to immediately intervene to avoid the significant economic damage a strike would have on Canada’s economy.”
The CFIB is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 100,000 members across every industry and region.
David Pierce, Vice President, Government Relations, Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said reliable air transportation is vital to Canadians and the Canadian economy.
“Every day, more than 130,000 people fly with Air Canada for personal, business and tourism reasons. Air travel also plays a critical role in internal and international trade being the transportation mode of choice for high-value and time-sensitive cargo. Almost half of Canadian pharmaceuticals that are shipped by air travel on Air Canada. Agriculture and perishable food products, and parts and machinery for small and medium-sized Canadian manufacturers will be impacted. There is little doubt that the impact of a labour disruption at Air Canada will be felt by all Canadians,” he said.
“At a time when Canada is facing unprecedented economic challenges and trade uncertainty, a service disruption would interrupt air cargo connectivity, directly impacting Canadian businesses that are working to diversify their customers in provinces across the country. The impact on business will be felt internationally too, and would lead to losses for Canadian exporters, further compounding the impacts on industries throughout our economy.
“At the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, we know the best deals happen when both sides sit down and negotiate in good faith at the bargaining table. This year, especially, the stakes of these negotiations are high, not just for flight attendants and Air Canada, but for workers at our airports and for the broader Canadian economy.
“If parties cannot reach a negotiated agreement, the federal government should be ready to intervene to avoid a prolonged disruption to Canadian air travel and shipping. We urge the federal government and all parties to continue to put the best interests of our country’s businesses, workers, and communities at the forefront.”
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is Canada’s largest and most activated business network — representing over 400 chambers of commerce and boards of trade and more than 200,000 businesses of all sizes, from all sectors of the economy and from every part of the country.
On Wednesday, Air Canada said that it has issued the statutory 72-hour lockout notice to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) representing 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge after the union provided notice it intends to begin a strike.
To provide customers certainty, Air Canada will begin a phased wind down of most of its operations to be completed over the next three days. The airline has also sought government-directed arbitration to resolve the situation, it said.
“Air Canada has been forced into this decision to lock out its Flight Attendants and regrets the impact the suspension of operations will have on customers as a result of the union’s issuance of a strike notice during such a heavy travel period,” said the company.
“However, as events at other airlines in recent years have shown, sudden or unmanaged work stoppages produce a significantly worse disruption to travel than a planned suspension of flying. A controlled wind down allows Air Canada to advise customers in advance, reduces the chance of customers being stranded, provides the airline and customers the time and opportunity to make alternative travel arrangements, and gives customers more certainty.”
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 representing 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge after the union provided notice it intends to begin a strike.){kind=link}
Tell Air Canada to stop putting shareholders before employees and pay the employees for the whole time worked.