Mark Hancock, National President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) which represents striking Air Canada flight attendants, speaks at a news conference in the hotel media room at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, August 18, 2025. REUTERS/Wa Lone

More than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants who went on strike early Saturday will be ordered to return to work by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), according to a Saturday announcement by Canadian Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu.

Air Canada and the union for 10,000 striking flight attendants began initial discussions after the strike started. The union is demanding higher wages and compensation for unpaid work, while the government pressures both sides to reach an agreement amid ongoing travel disruptions.