Clock Ticking on Potential Railway Work Stoppage

The countdown is on for an unprecedented shutdown at both of Canada’s two major railways due to an ongoing labour dispute. 

Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), the union representing more than 9,000 workers at CN and CPKC, confirmed Sunday it had served a 72-hour strike notice on the two companies, putting workers in a legal strike position as of Aug. 22 at 00:01 ET. 

Meanwhile, a CN release on Sunday said it had issued a notice to the union formally advising of its intentions to lockout workers as of the same date and time, unless a contract agreement of binding arbitration was achieved beforehand. 

“Despite negotiations over the weekend, no meaningful progress has occurred, and the parties remain very far apart,” the CN release said. “Unless there is an immediate and definite resolution to the labour conflict, CN will have no choice but to continue the phased and progressive shutdown of its network which would culminate in a lockout.” 

CPKC said previously that it also intended to lock out workers if the two sides could come to a settlement or agree on binding arbitration.  

Both railways have already started to slow or halt the movement of some cargoes on their respective networks ahead of the potential labour disruption, and CN said additional embargoes would be issued today. 

The union said it is continuing to bargain and will “remain at the table as long as it takes.” 

The federal government last week rejected a formal request from CN Rail to impose binding arbitration to settle the dispute between the company and its workers.  

In a letter to CN lawyers and released by the TCRC on Thursday, Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon said it is the shared responsibility of CN and the union to “negotiate in good faith and work diligently towards a new collective agreement.” 

National farm groups have called on Ottawa to step in and ensure CN and CPKC trains keep running, especially with the Prairie harvest now ramping up.