(Ottawa) Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon is throwing his weight behind the wheel to avoid a work stoppage that would paralyze rail transportation in the country. Just hours away from a strike and lockout which would affect the two main Canadian railway companies, the minister intends to meet the parties and the federal mediators this Tuesday in Montreal.
Clearly concerned about the negative impact of any work stoppage at CN and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) on the Canadian economy, Minister MacKinnon will then travel to Calgary on Wednesday to hold similar meetings, his office announced early Monday evening.
“Minister MacKinnon will be in Montreal [mardi] and Calgary on Wednesday to meet with the parties and federal mediators and urge CN, CPKC and the Teamsters to fulfill their responsibility to Canadians, reach agreements at the bargaining table and prevent a full work stoppage,” his office said in an email to The Press.
PHOTO JUSTIN TANG, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Labour of Canada
Earlier in the day, Mr. MacKinnon issued yet another statement urging management of both railways and union representatives to redouble their efforts to resolve the impasse.
More than 9,000 workers at Canada’s two major rail companies could be on strike or locked out starting Thursday, significantly disrupting the supply chains that many industries rely on.
“These collective bargaining negotiations belong only to CN, CPKC and the CFTC, but their effects will be felt by all Canadians. The parties must work hard to reach agreements at the bargaining table and avoid a complete work stoppage. Canadians expect the parties to live up to the trust placed in them,” the minister said in his statement published on the X network.
On Sunday, the union representing thousands of CPKC workers announced that it had served a 72-hour strike notice on the railway company.
The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) issued a press release stating that if the parties fail to reach a last-minute agreement, workers will walk off the job as of 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday.
Shortly after the union’s statement, Canadian National Railway (CN) issued a notice that it intended to lock out workers on the same date unless a settlement or binding arbitration is reached.
The company says no significant progress has been made despite collective bargaining over the weekend.
Both CPKC and Canadian National Railway have suspended shipments in anticipation of possible work stoppages involving 9,300 workers at both railways.
According to the Railway Association of Canada, rail lines move more than $1 billion worth of goods every day. More than half of the country’s exports travel by train.
Consequently, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) warns that a possible work stoppage at the country’s two main railway companies would be devastating for small businesses.
The association representing independent businesses points out that many small businesses rely on rail services to send and receive essential goods, products and materials.
The CFIB says the work stoppage could also disrupt public transit and travel to major cities like Montreal or Toronto. Last week, MacKinnon rejected a request from CN to impose binding arbitration, saying he wanted the company to negotiate in good faith.
The union responded to CN’s announcement Sunday in a news release accusing the company of being “willing to jeopardize the Canadian economy and hold supply chains hostage to improve its bottom line.”
PHOTO ANDY CLARK, REUTERS ARCHIVES
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) warns that a possible work stoppage at the country’s two major railway companies would be devastating for small businesses.
A CPKC spokesperson reiterated that the company was committed to negotiating in good faith and reiterated a standing offer to resolve the issue through binding arbitration.
The CPKC had previously served a lockout notice on the union for 12:01 a.m. Thursday. The union said it was required to serve a strike notice on the company to protect workers.
We do not take this decision lightly, but the CPKC’s reckless actions have forced our hand. By unilaterally locking out our members and changing the terms of collective agreements, they are depriving them of essential protections.
Paul Boucher, President of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference
CPKC spokesman Patrick Waldron said the company disputes the union’s claim that CPKC is unilaterally changing the terms of collective agreements.
In its statement Friday, the company said that for its train and locomotive workers, it is “focused on a three-year, status quo-style contract renewal with competitive wage increases that are consistent with recent agreements with other rail unions and maintain the status quo on all work rules.” The company said the offer “is fully consistent with new regulatory rest requirements.”
With The Canadian Press