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Air Canada to stop flights after cabin crew threaten strike over pay deal

Air Canada has announced that it will halt the majority of its flights following a 72-hour notice of strike issued by its flight attendants union on Wednesday. The notice warned of a walkout if contract negotiations over a pay agreement failed.

Just hours after Ottawa was asked to intervene by the airline, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents more than 10,000 cabin staff at Canada's largest carrier took action.

The strike will begin around 1 a.m. ET on Saturday. In the beginning of this month, 99.7% percent of unionized employees voted in favor of a strike.

Air Canada stated that the disruption would impact about 130,000 passengers a day. They also said that all customers who have their flights canceled during the busy summer months would receive a full refund.

As it prepares for its three-day shutdown, the strike could affect some of the airline's most lucrative routes, including those between Canada, Europe, and Asia.

Flight cancellations and increased ticket prices could be caused by a prolonged work stoppage.

A lockdown was also announced by the airline 32 minutes after it ended. The airline declared Tuesday that negotiations were at a standstill after the union refused to accept its proposal of binding arbitration.

The carrier offered flight attendants a 38% total increase in compensation over a period of four years. A 25% increase was given in the first year.

The union, however, said that the offer was "below market value, below inflation, and below minimum wage" - leaving flight attendants without payment for all hours worked.

Flight attendants in North America want to be paid for the hours they work, which includes waiting in airports and boarding before flights.

Air Canada issued a statement saying that, "While we are still available to discuss with CUPE we have requested Government-Directed Arbitration as we view it now as the only sure avenue to bring an end to bargaining."

(source: Reuters)