Canada blocks airline strike a second time

The Canadian government used a new tactic Wednesday to at least delay a threatened strike by 6,800 Air Canada flight attendants. The Canadian Union of Public Employees announced late Sunday flight attendants would walk off the job at 12:01 a.m. Thursday to protest stalled negotiations. Tuesday night, Conservative Labor Minister Lisa Raitt ordered the negotiations to be reviewed by the Canada Industrial Relations Board, which legally prevents a strike, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. said. In August, Raitt used a threat of back-to-work legislation and a walkout was averted. The Canadian Parliament is in recess until Monday. Meanwhile, Raitt said she would be drafting back-to-work legislation in the event the board eventually ruled in the union's favor. There was no indication how long the board's review would take, the CBC said. Raitt said the board would have to examine whether a strike that would shut down the airline would "affect the health and safety of the public." The socialist New Democratic Party opposition in Ottawa has decried the Conservatives' previous intervention in the matter, calling it an attack on labor unions, Postmedia News said.