Government likely to intervene in Air Canada strike

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Beginning of Story Content The federal government is considering its options for handling a threat by <a href="http://www.ecigs-store.com/egot-003-p-11.html"><strong>which electronic cigarette</strong></a> Air Canada flight attendants to walk off the job as early as Thursday. However, a spokeswoman for Labour Minister Lisa Raitt left little doubt that the government will intervene if the flight attendants go on strike. "We will be clear that a work stoppage is unacceptable in this time of fragile economy," Ashley Kelehear said in an email late Sunday. The 6,800 flight attendants have rejected a tentative deal reached between their union and the airline and are poised to go on strike at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, the union said in a news release Sunday. Air Canada issued a statement indicating it hoped to avoid a work stoppage but said it would maintain a partial schedule in the event of a strike. Customers who have already bought tickets to fly over the next six days will be allowed to change their travel dates at no charge, the airline said. The Canadian Union of Public Employees said 65 per cent of the flight attendants who cast ballots voted to reject management proposals.Earlier proposal rejectedIt was the second time in recent months that flight attendants have turned down a tentative agreement with the airline. They voted 87 per cent against ratifying the previous effort, in August. "We ask the federal government, in the strongest possible <a href="http://www.ecigs-store.com/510-white-p-29.html"><strong>electronic cigarette machine</strong></a> terms, to respect our right to collective bargaining and not intervene unilaterally in this dispute," Jeff Taylor, president of CUPE's branch for Air Canada flight attendants, said in a statement Sunday night. After the first day of a three-day walkout by Air Canada's sales and support staff in June, Raitt indicated she would introduce back-work-legislation. The airline and the Canadian Auto <a href="http://www.ecigs-store.com/egob-002-p-8.html"><strong>v2 electronic cigarette</strong></a> Workers union reached a deal the next day. Raitt vowed last month to force a contract on flight attendants, too, if they walk off the job. Taylor said this second rejection by attendants shows how frustrated they are with the airline after years of giving concessions in wages and benefits. Union leaders had predicted the second, revamped offer, reached Sept. 20, would be approved. They said they had managed to get about 80 per cent of what the membership was demanding in the areas of wages, pensions, crew rest, working conditions and work rules. With files from Canadian Press Accessibility Links