Their union says one of its core demands, to receive pay for groundwork, is unlikely to be introduced in arbitration. The airline began canceling flights ahead of the potential strike.

Ten thousand Air Canada flight attendants represented by the Canada Union of Public Employees are on the verge of a strike this weekend, threatening to

The prospect of a systemwide work stoppage by Air Canada's unionized flight attendants loomed large on Friday with a strike deadline just hours away, despite a government plea for both sides to return to the bargaining table.