Air Canada flight attendants are continuing their strike, despite a government order to return to work. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) announced this decision during an interview with Radio-Canada on Sunday. This announcement follows a directive from the Canadian government that mandated the union and the airline to enter arbitration.

The Canadian Industrial Relations Board, acting on a directive from Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu, ordered Air Canada to resume operations and for all flight attendants to return to their duties by 2 p.m. ET on Sunday. Air Canada had previously stated that it would resume operations on Sunday after the strike grounded hundreds of flights, affecting tens of thousands of passengers.

The strike was initiated due to demands for pay increases and improved working conditions. CUPE stated, "The Liberal government has invoked Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to end a strike by Air Canada flight attendants fighting to end unpaid work and poverty wages."

In response to the government’s order, CUPE declared, "We will be challenging this blatantly unconstitutional order. We remain on strike. We demand a fair, negotiated contract and to be compensated for all hours worked." The union represents approximately 10,000 flight attendants, and the strike has left over 100,000 travelers stranded globally during the busy summer travel season.

Air Canada announced that it plans to resume flights later in the day, but it may take several days for operations to return to normal. The airline warned that some flights could be canceled over the next week to ten days as they stabilize their schedule. By Saturday afternoon, Air Canada had canceled 671 flights, including 24 at Los Angeles International Airport, and an additional 96 flights scheduled for Sunday were already suspended.

The strike began around 1 a.m. EDT on Saturday, shortly after Air Canada announced it would start locking flight attendants out of airports. The airline operates about 700 flights daily, and the work stoppage has impacted around 130,000 people each day.

The government’s intervention comes amid concerns about the economy and the impact of tariffs imposed by the U.S. on Canada. Hajdu emphasized that the government is not anti-union, stating that it is clear both sides are at an impasse. The airline and the union have been in negotiations for about eight months without reaching a tentative agreement. The main points of contention remain pay and the issue of unpaid work performed by flight attendants.

Air Canada’s latest proposal included a 38% increase in total compensation over four years, which the airline claimed would make its flight attendants the best compensated in Canada. However, the union argued that the proposed 8% raise in the first year was insufficient given current inflation rates.

Passengers affected by the cancellations can request full refunds through Air Canada’s website or mobile app. The airline is also offering alternative travel options with other airlines when possible, although it cautioned that immediate rebooking may not be feasible due to high demand during the summer travel peak.