Flight attendants for Air Canada have taken a bold step. In defying the government’s back to work order, they have thrown down the gauntlet to the Carney government. This can serve as a rallying point for the entire labour movement against decades of attacks on the right to strike amid deteriorating living conditions.
A long time coming
For many in the labour movement, this has been a long time coming. Someone was going to have to stand up and say “enough is enough!” Over the past couple of decades, federal and provincial governments have legislated away the right to strike dozens of times. More recently, the Liberals have found an easier solution. They have rolled out clause 107 in the labour code (an obscure clause which is never used) to take away the right to strike without a debate or even a vote in the parliament!
But working class people have had enough. The flight attendants at Air Canada are some of the poorest workers who have seen their wages erode to the point where many have had to use food banks. And as soon as they try to fight back—within 12 hours they have their right to strike taken away.
As Lillian Speedie, vice-president of CUPE Local 4092, told CBC “snowstorms have shut down Air Canada for longer than we were allowed to strike.”
At a rally of flight attendants, CUPE National president Mark Hancock said “This is the CIRB order. Here is what I am supposed to do. I am expected to say, stand down. I am expected to direct you to go back to work. I am expected to end this strike. That ain’t happening my friends. Not on my watch. Not now. Not tomorrow. Not ever.” He then proceeded to rip up the back-to-work order to rapturous cheers and applause from the angry workers.
A fundamental turning point
This is a fundamental turning point in the situation. Not since the postal workers defied back-to-work legislation in the early 1980s have federal employees defied a back-to-work order. This means that the union and these 10,000 workers are technically on an illegal wildcat strike.
But this strike is about more than just the flight attendants. The situation they face is a microcosm of the situation facing millions of workers around the country: falling living conditions and no right to do anything about it.
It is therefore no surprise that the working class is overwhelmingly behind the flight attendants.
In a poll conducted on Aug. 15, Abacus found that 59 per cent expressed sympathy for the flight attendants while only 12 per cent sympathized with Air Canada. A whopping 88 per cent thought that Air Canada should pay the flight attendants for all of the tasks they complete while only 12 per cent thought that they should just be paid for the time in the air.
On the question of government intervention in the strike, 59 per cent thought that “the Federal Government should respect the right of workers to strike, even if it leads to disruptions,” while only 24 per cent agreed that “the Federal Government should intervene in labour disputes to prevent disruptions, even if it limits the rights of workers to strike.”
This overwhelming support expresses the class division of our society and the power on the side of the working class. If this power is properly harnessed, none of these reactionary laws or bills would last a day.
Escalate and generalize the movement
The next move now falls to the Carney Liberals. Having been elected on the backs of a wave of Canadian nationalist sentiment in response to threats from Trump, Carney still enjoys a high approval rating with some polls showing that over 60 per cent approve of the job he is doing so far.
Carney, the central banker, was the clear choice of the Canadian ruling class. He is their man. And right away, corporate Canada has had an open door to Carney’s office. All of his announcements and legislation have loyally reflected the interests of corporate Canada. For a long time, the Canadian ruling class has wanted to impose cuts to social spending, increase military spending, steamroll over environmental regulations and Indigenous rights. The crisis caused by Donald Trump provides them with the perfect opportunity to ram through their reactionary agenda.
Here lies the significance of this movement. With Carney instructing all departments to impose 15 per cent cuts across the board, huge class battles are on the near horizon. A victory here sets the tone for all of the struggles to come. A victory for the flight attendants is a victory for all workers! A victory in this fight will represent a key step forward in the fight against capitalism.
Therefore, the entire labour movement must rally behind the flight attendants. But more than just passive support, the trade unions must bring their power to bear to force the government to retreat. With the overwhelming support for the flight attendants and the fact that this pertains to a generalized attack on the right to strike affecting all workers—CUPE and the Canadian Labour Congress must work to escalate and generalize this movement.
Solidarity strikes of all employees at the airports around the country are the logical next step, combined with sympathy action from CUPE locals. The movement must escalate and generalize if we can hope to win against the Carney Liberals.
While many may fear the repercussions from the government, the best way to guarantee this won’t happen is to escalate the movement to such a point that the government must back off. Should the government come down with a heavy hand, imposing fines and other forms of punishment against the flight attendants and their union, the labour movement must respond with a one-day general strike.
The model for this was already set by the Ontario education workers in the fall of 2022 who similarly had their right to strike taken away. The unions responded by threatening a general strike which had the immediate effect of turning Doug Ford into a little baby who walked back all of his attacks on the union. This shows where the real power lies in our society.
A victory for the flight attendants is a victory for all!
Escalate and generalize the movement to win!
