Government Rules Out Air Canada Strike
Canada's Conservative government prohibited a strike by Air Canada workers early Wednesday, the third time it has thwarted airline unions.
Parliament convened Tuesday evening to debate the measure preventing a strike by 8,600 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers next Monday night, Postmedia News reported.
Political haggling delayed the third and final vote until 1:30 a.m., the report said. The bill goes to the Conservative-dominant Senate, where more bickering is expected to be completed in time to prevent the walkout at the country's largest airline.
In recent days when talks between the airline and union appeared to be at an impasse, Federal Labor Minister Lisa Raitt said she couldn't allow a strike that could cost the national economy more than $20 million each week.
"The inconvenience of a work stoppage to travelers, serious disruptions to Canadian businesses and potential threat to health and safety would be significant and there's far too much at stake to let this happen," Raitt said.
This marks the third time in a year Prime Minister Stephen Harper's majority Conservative government has quashed strike bids at the airline. The previous two were threatened by other unions.
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