Air Canada's front-line workers are back on the job Friday following a three-day strike, but the airline remains in contract negotiations with several other employee groups.
In a statement, Air Canada chief operating officer Duncan Dee said "it is business as usual" as front counter staff returned to work.
However, despite reaching a deal with the customer service and sales staff, Air Canada still faces labour issues with other groups of airline employees, including clerical and finance staff, flight attendants and mechanics and baggage handlers.
The union representing the airline's 6,800 flight attendants is waiting for a federal conciliator to get involved in its contract talks, while Air Canada's mechanics return to the bargaining table next month.
Air Canada and its pilots union are also getting ready to negotiate after union members rejected a tentative agreement earlier this year over establishing a contribution pension plan for new hires – the same issue that sparked the latest labour dispute.
During the strike the airline had been coping with the loss of 3,800 customer service and sales staff that walked off the job on Monday night.
But a tentative deal was reached on Thursday between Air Canada and the Canadian Auto Workers, the union that represents the customer service and sales staff at the airline.
If ratified, the deal will give wage increases to workers, though the contentious issue of pension changes for new hires will be settled by an arbitrator.
Dee also gave thanks to the pilots, flight attendants and other staff who went "above and beyond" to keep the airline operating while the strike was in effect.
Air Canada customers faced delays, but no major disruptions during the three-day strike.
With files from The Canadian Press
