In Canada, more than 100 flights were canceled due to a strike by aircraft mechanics

Canadian airline WestJet has been forced to cancel at least 150 flights due to a strike by its maintenance workers union. This affected the plans of 20,000 passengers who had tickets for the flights. The Associated Press reported this on Saturday, June 29.

It said the reason for the aircraft mechanics’ protests was the airline’s “reluctance to negotiate with the union.”

The strike affected both international and domestic flights and came during the Canada Day long weekend.

According to the CBC, the union decided to strike a day after Labor Minister Seamus O’Regan ordered the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to impose mandatory arbitration to resolve issues in the collective bargaining agreement between the airline and the Fraternal Association of Aircraft Mechanics, AMFA. The order comes after two weeks of negotiations with the union on a new agreement. On Friday, the union was in talks with the CIRB.

Earlier this month, mechanics voted to reject a tentative agreement with the Calgary-based airline, prompting WestJet to appeal to the government and leading to two strike notices issued by the union.

WestJet expressed anger at the situation and said the union was fully responsible for the inconvenience and damage caused.

The union negotiating committee cited an order from the Canadian Industrial Relations Board that does not prohibit strikes or lockouts during the arbitration process.

Earlier in South Korea, the Samsung Electronics union went on strike for the first time since its founding. The company’s employees stopped work for a day to demand higher wages.