A work stoppage at Air Canada threatens tourism, cargo transport, and small business operations nationwide
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has issued a warning about the potentially devastating effects a work stoppage at Air Canada could have on small businesses and the Canadian economy.
Air Canada transports nearly 120,000 travellers daily, and a halt in operations would severely impact the hospitality and tourism sectors, particularly during the crucial end of the summer season.
Additionally, a stoppage would disrupt the transportation of critical cargo nationwide, with even a single day of service interruption potentially causing weeks of delays and significant harm to small businesses that rely on Air Canada for moving goods, customers, and employees.
This labour dispute comes after recent strikes at Canada's two major railways, prompting CFIB to call for action. The federation stresses that the federal government must prevent repeated disruptions to essential transportation networks.
CFIB urges both Air Canada and the Air Line Pilots Association to continue negotiations while keeping services operational.
A tentative agreement was reached over the weekend. If an agreement could not be reached or that agreement falls apart, CFIB calls on the government to be prepared to impose binding arbitration or back-to-work legislation.
Dan Kelly, President of CFIB, emphasized that it is the government's responsibility to ensure that small businesses and the broader economy do not suffer from another major disruption to Canada's transportation system.
