Flight Attendant Standoff: Air Canada Faces Defiance Amid Strike

The union for 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants is defying an order to return to work, amid a strike affecting over 100,000 travelers globally. The Canada Industrial Relations Board's return-to-work order is challenged as unconstitutional by the union, which blames Air Canada's bargaining stance and government intervention.

The union representing 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants has decided to defy a government order to return to work, prolonging a strike that has affected more than 100,000 travelers worldwide during the busy summer travel season.

Despite an order from the Canada Industrial Relations Board mandating employees return by 2 p.m. on Sunday, the union remains defiant, citing unfair treatment and government intervention as factors exacerbating tensions. Mark Hancock, the national president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, remarked outside Toronto Airport that the union is refusing to comply, labeling the process as "unfair" and "unconstitutional."

The standoff has led Air Canada to announce continued flight cancellations for the coming days, as it grapples with resuming normal operations. Meanwhile, the federal Jobs Minister has reiterated the importance of economic stability amidst the work stoppage, as the airline prepares for arbitration-directed resolutions.

(With inputs from agencies.)