The following message was issued by the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA) on Monday, August 19, 2024:
Labour Minister Rejects CN Rail’s Call for Binding Arbitration as Lockout Looms
Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon has rejected CN Rail’s request for binding arbitration in the company’s labour dispute with Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) – one week before a lockout could shut down the rail network. “I would like to clarify that it is your shared responsibility – Canadian National Railway Company and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference – to negotiate in good faith and work diligently towards a new collective agreement,” MacKinnon wrote in a letter. The minister added that federal mediators remain available to both parties as negotiations continue.
Read more in an article from CBC News.
CN Issues Lockout Notice to Teamsters
CN has issued notice to the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) formally advising them of its intention to lockout Canadian TCRC-represented employees on August 22 at 00:01 ET unless an agreement or binding arbitration is achieved before that time. Despite negotiations over the weekend, no meaningful progress has occurred, and the parties remain very far apart. Unless there is an immediate and definite resolution to the labour conflict, CN will continue the phased and progressive shutdown of its network, which would culminate in a lockout. CN must continue with the progressive and planned shutdown of its network, as it remains under the threat of an unpredictable strike notice. This planned shutdown helps to ensure the safety of the communities in which it operates and the safety of its customers’ goods, and to optimize the network’s recovery following a labour disruption.
Additional embargoes will be issued today, August 19.
Read more in a press release from CN.
CPKC–TCRC Collective Bargaining – August 16 Update
Bargaining between CPKC and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) Train and Engine (T&E) and Rail Traffic Controller (RCTC) employees was scheduled to continue on Sunday, August 18.
While CPKC continues to move as much freight as possible prior to a potential work stoppage, it is taking steps for a safe and orderly shutdown of railway operations in Canada. In addition to embargos announced previously:
- Effective today, August 19, the embargo will be expanded for all dangerous goods shipments.
- Effective Tuesday, August 20, embargos for all shipments originating in Canada, all shipments originating in the United States destined to Canada, and all carload traffic destined to Canadian interchange.
CPKC is communicating directly with customers as additional embargoes and intermodal terminal restrictions for temperature-controlled containers and other intermodal containers are implemented, as necessary. It is committed to keeping stakeholders updated.
CPKC reiterates its standing offer to resolve this matter through binding arbitration should negotiations be unsuccessful.
Teamsters Issue Strike Notice to CPKC
The Teamsters union has served 72-hours notice to CPKC to withdraw services, to be effective Thursday, August 22 at 0001 Eastern Time, “to protect the TCRC’s statutory and Charter protected rights to engage in a lawful strike,” said the union in a statement. “We are continuing to bargain with the Company and will remain at the table as long as it takes.”
Read more in a press release from the TCRC.
For more information, please call David Lychek, Director – Ocean & Air Services at (905) 882-4880, ext. 1207.
