Ottawa Calls for Increased Efforts from Rail Companies and Union to Avoid Strike
The federal government is urging the nation’s top railway companies and the Teamsters union to intensify their efforts to avert a potentially crippling strike that could impact Canada’s economy.
Both Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. (CPCK) are at risk of a work stoppage on August 22 if agreements are not reached with the thousands of Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) employees they represent.
Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon is calling on both parties to increase their negotiations to secure a deal and keep the 9,300 railway workers employed.
“It is crucial for the parties to work diligently towards agreements at the bargaining table to avoid a complete work stoppage. Canadians expect a concerted effort from both sides.”
Although MacKinnon has the authority to mandate binding arbitration between the union and railway companies, he has not yet indicated whether he will take such action.
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Rail lines carry more than $1 billion worth of goods each day, according to the Railway Association of Canada. More than half of the country’s exports travel by rail.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
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