Air Canada has been hit by a strike.
Posted Jun 13, 2011 10:33 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO – Air Canada’s customer service agents and other airport workers are on strike after negotiations between their union and the airline failed to reach an agreement on the key issues of pensions and wages.
The workers served a 72-hour strike notice on Friday and went on strike as of 10:01p.m., local time.
The two sides were in talks until late in the evening after both said they wanted to avert a strike — but had made little progress.
Air Canada has downplayed the potential impact of a strike and said it will continue to operate a full schedule.
They are advising passengers that they should arrive at the airport extra early, print out their own boarding passes and try to cram everything into their carry-ons to avoid checking luggage.
Jamie Ross, who heads the Canadian Auto Workers local representing the workers, said the big sticking point is changes the airline has proposed to workers’ pensions.
Air Canada was forced into creditor protection from April 2003 to September 2004 partly because of its pension deficit.
