CIRB Rules Ongoing Air Canada Flight Attendant Strike Unlawful, Orders Return to Work
Air Canada has announced that the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) has ruled the strike action by the company’s 10,000 flight attendants unlawful and has ordered the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) leadership to instruct its members to return to work.
Following a hearing on August 17, the CIRB directed the union to immediately revoke its authorization of strike activity and communicate this decision to members no later than 12:00 p.m. EDT on August 18, 2025. The Board further ordered:
- The union and its officers must cease all activities authorizing or supporting the unlawful strike and direct members to resume work.
- Members of the bargaining unit must return to their duties immediately and refrain from further unlawful strike activity.
- The union must issue a written public notice through its website or other channels to inform all members of the revocation of strike authorization and the requirement to resume work.
Air Canada stated that CUPE leadership’s continued strike activity prevented the intended restart of operations on August 17. As a result, the airline estimates approximately 500,000 customer flights have been cancelled since operations were suspended on August 16.
The airline said it regrets the disruption to passengers and confirmed it is preparing to restore services as soon as possible. Customers can find updates on their flights and travel options at www.aircanada.com.
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