UPDATED AT 1:03 am EDT
Air Canada Flight Attendants Strike; Airline Shutters Mainline and Air Canada Rouge
With a potentially paralyzing Air Canada strike only a few hours away, Open Jaw has learned that the flight attendants' union and airline management are in last-ditch talks to reach a settlement.
A source at the Air Canada component to the Canadian Union of Public Employees tells Open Jaw that the union on the evening of 15AUG met with federal Jobs and People Minister Patty Hajdu and representatives from Air Canada.
The source also said CUPE has engaged with a mediator "to relay our willingness to continue bargaining - despite the fact that Air Canada has not countered our last two offers since Tuesday.
"We're here to bargain a deal, not to go on strike," the source said.
Air Canada officials confirmed that talks are taking place but said they couldn't offer details.
Flight attendants could walk or be locked out by Air Canada management as soon as 12:58 am EDT on 16AUG, a move that would spark travel chaos across the country and potentially strand thousands of customers
The two sides have been engaged in bitter negotiations the past few days, but it appears they are at least talking about a potential agreement.
Stay tuned to Open Jaw for more information.
