Trudeau Criticizes Railway’s Lockout of Workers and Calls for Forced Binding Arbitration as “Deeply Unhelpful”

August 28, 2024 TruthUSA

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended his government’s decision to request binding arbitration to bring an end to the nationwide rail strike, stating that Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s choice to lock out workers was “deeply unhelpful” and left the government with no other option.

“As a result, we reluctantly took the decision to request binding arbitration to resolve this dispute. To be clear, this is not the outcome we wanted to see,” Trudeau told the International Union of Operating Engineers on Aug. 28.

“If it wasn’t obvious to every Canadian already, Canadian rail workers do a vital job, and they deserve to work in safety and dignity.”

On Aug. 22, after trains had stopped due to the lockout, the federal government intervened to enforce arbitration and resume train operations across Canada. Earlier that day, contract negotiations between the two rail companies and the Teamsters union failed, resulting in 6,000 Canadian National Railway (CN) workers and 3,300 Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) workers being locked out.

The government had initially hoped to resolve the issue through negotiations, while business groups had urged government intervention to prevent any disruption to the economy.

Canadian railways transport approximately $380 billion worth of goods each year, and 32,000 Canadian commuters rely on the rail system daily. Trudeau also highlighted “serious public safety concerns” raised by the railway shutdown, as essential shipments like propane for hospitals and chlorine for drinking water were at risk.

“We will be exploring all possible immediate and long-term solutions to address the safety concerns brought up by the Teamsters union, and ultimately to enhance the efficiency of our rail system,” he added.

The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference had demanded higher wages, improved safety measures, and a better work-life balance for workers. Both CN and CPKC claimed that the union rejected several offers made in good faith.

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