Air Canada Strike Put Off ... For Now

Lisa Raitt buys herself time to pass back-to-work legislation as the flight attendants' strike deadline looms.

Federal Labour Minister Lisa Raitt is pulling another trick out of her strike-breaking book by referring the dispute between Air Canada and its flight attendants to the Canadian Industrial Labour Board, meaning the flight attendants won't be able to go on strike tomorrow. Last week, flight attendants in the Canadian Union of Public Employees voted to strike, but Raitt said she would prevent them from doing so to preserve the country's "fragile" economy. Doing so makes it illegal for the flight attendants to strike while the two sides work toward an agreement. It also gives Raitt enough time to draw up and pass back-to-work legislation in the House of Commons, a method used to bring the Canada Post lockout/strike to an end back in June. The New Democrats and Liberals have both voiced their opposition to such back-to-work measures.