Canada’s federal government has ordered Air Canada flight attendants back to work after a breakdown in collective bargaining talks between the airline and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and chief of the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, announced the decision on Saturday, citing the need to “maintain and secure industrial peace, protect Canadians and promote conditions to resolve the dispute,” given the strike’s impact on the national economy.

Flight attendants, represented by CUPE, issued a strike notice on Wednesday and began their job action on Saturday after talks with Air Canada collapsed. The union is demanding higher wages and pay for all hours worked, noting that flight attendants are not compensated for critical tasks such as safety checks, boarding and deplaning, and responding to onboard emergencies.

Air Canada has proposed a cumulative wage increase of 17.2 percent over four years, but the union did not accept the offer, saying it falls below inflation and does not address broader concerns.

Wesley Leosky, president of the Air Canada Component of CUPE, said that “Air Canada has raked in billions in profits in the past few years. They can afford to pay us fairly without raising costs for the public.” Both sides have accused each other of stalling negotiations and spreading misinformation.

Minister Hajdu said that she has asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board to impose final and binding arbitration and extend the current contract until a new agreement is reached. “In a year in which Canadian families and businesses have already experienced too much disruption and uncertainty, this is not the time to add additional challenges and disruptions to their lives and our economy,” Hajdu said.