Canadian government intervenes in Air Canada flight attendant strike grounding 700 flights Saturday

The Canadian government intervened Saturday shortly after an Air Canada flight attendant strike resulted in roughly 700 flights being canceled and 100,000 passengers stranded.

The government is requiring arbitration between the airline and the strikers, according to Reuters.

Air Canada, the country's largest carrier, had sought arbitration, but unionized flight attendants have vehemently opposed it.

Thousands of Air Canada flight attendants walked off the job for the first time since 1985, just before 1 a.m. EDT.

The strike comes after months of negotiations over a new contract. The airline canceled nearly 700 daily flights in anticpaption of the strike.