Air Canada Union Ends Strike

MONTREAL/TORONTO, Aug 19

After nearly four days of walkouts, Air Canada and its union of flight attendants finally hammered out a tentative deal, allowing the airline to begin restoring flights, though officials cautioned that a full return to normal could take a week or more.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) announced on Facebook: “The strike has ended. We’ve managed to nail down a tentative agreement that we will present to our members.”

Air Canada confirmed that some cancellations will continue over the next 7–10 days as schedules stabilize.

Mark Nasr, Air Canada’s chief operations officer, said that 5,000 employees are working around the clock to help travelers rebook flights across Air Canada and 120 partner airlines.

The strike began Saturday when talks over unpaid duties — such as boarding passengers — broke down. For months, flight attendants had insisted that they would not settle for contracts that excluded pay for work done on the ground.

According to Nasr, this issue has now been settled on, with flight attendants to be paid for those duties moving forward.

The union, representing more than 10,400 attendants, had refused to back down even after the Canada Industrial Relations Board declared the strike unlawful. Rather than bow to government pressure, CUPE pressed ahead, effectively creating a three-way standoff among the airline, workers, and Ottawa.

Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu urged the parties to let government mediation help smooth over the deadlock. At the same time, she promised to investigate allegations of unpaid labor practices in the airline industry. Officials said the review will take six to eight weeks before results are published.

Meanwhile, passenger frustration has been mounting. Though many initially supported the workers, travelers stranded for days were harder to talk out of their anger. Some, like 38-year-old James Numfor from Regina, were left to sleep in airports after being provided only one night of hotel accommodation. Retiree Klaus Hickman expressed sympathy for the attendants’ cause but admitted he was worried about the personal toll delays could take on his health.

The dispute reflects a broader trend in Canada’s transport and construction sectors, where unions are pushing harder for pay raises and benefits. Though Air Canada hopes the agreement will smooth over tensions, the true test will come when union members vote on whether to ratify the deal.

Vocabulary List

1. nail down

• Definition: To finalize or secure an agreement.

• Example: “They nailed down a deal after long negotiations.”

• Practice Question: What’s something you need to nail down this week?

2. hammer out

• Definition: To reach an agreement after long discussions.

• Example: “The two sides hammered out a peace deal.”

• Practice Question: Have you ever had to hammer out a compromise with a friend or coworker?

3. rule out

• Definition: To eliminate something as an option.

• Example: “We can’t rule out delays in the project.”

• Practice Question: If you were planning a holiday, what destination would you rule out and why?

4. settle on

• Definition: To decide after consideration.

• Example: “They finally settled on a location for the wedding.”

• Practice Question: If you had to settle on one meal to eat every day, what would it be?

5. count in

• Definition: To include someone in an activity or plan.

• Example: “If you’re going hiking, count me in!”

• Practice Question: If your friends planned a road trip tomorrow, would you want them to count you in?

6. to give in

• Definition: To stop resisting; to yield.

• Example: “He finally gave in to his kids’ request for ice cream.”

• Practice Question: Have you ever given in to someone just to avoid an argument?

7. back down

• Definition: To withdraw from a position or demand.

• Example: “The union refused to back down during the strike.”

• Practice Question: Is it better to stand firm or back down in a heated argument?

8. bow to

• Definition: To reluctantly accept pressure or authority.

• Example: “The company bowed to public pressure and changed its policy.”

• Practice Question: Have you ever bowed to someone else’s rules even if you disagreed?

9. settle for

• Definition: To accept something less than what you wanted.

• Example: “They settled for a small raise instead of the big one they hoped for.”

• Practice Question: Would you settle for a job you didn’t love if it paid very well?

10. smooth over

• Definition: To make a problem or disagreement less serious.

• Example: “The manager tried to smooth over tensions after the argument.”

• Practice Question: How do you usually smooth over conflicts with friends or family?

11. talk someone out of something

• Definition: To persuade someone not to do something.

• Example: “She talked him out of quitting his job too soon.”

• Practice Question: Has anyone ever talked you out of doing something risky?