Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu has ordered binding arbitration to put an end to a strike by Air Canada’s flight attendants that has grounded flights and disrupted travel for hundreds of thousands of travellers in Canada and overseas.

The strike, which officially began just before 1 a.m. ET on Saturday, followed several days of silence at the negotiation table, after the carrier declared on Tuesday that negotiations with the Air Canada Component of CUPE had reached an impasse.

“I have exercised my authorities under Section 107 of the Canadian Labor Code to direct the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order the parties to resume and continue their operations and duties in order to secure industrial peace and protect the interests of Canada, Canadians and the economy,” Minister Hajdu told a news conference on Saturday.

Union representatives have said that the airline would not meet to negotiate, with the carrier stating that it had responded to each offer. The airline has been urging the federal government to intervene, while the union has been requesting Ottawa let the negotiations be dealt with at the bargaining table.