The future of an unprecedented strike on Canada’s railways hinges on a decision the federal labour board is expected to make Saturday amid an ongoing bitter contract dispute between the country’s two largest railroads and the Teamsters union, which represents thousands of workers.
The Teamsters, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) are awaiting a decision following a “marathon nine-hour hearing” at the Canada Labour Relations Board, the union said.
“The union will lawfully comply with any decision made by the CIRB and is prepared to challenge it in Federal Court if necessary,” the union said in a statement after Friday’s hearing.
A spokesperson for the Canada Labour Relations Board said commissioners are deliberating and expect to make a decision later Saturday.
A dispute between the Canadian Teamsters union and the CN and CPKC railways has affected rail service, leaving many consumers bracing for higher shipping costs and the possibility of higher prices due to shortages of some goods.
Freight traffic and some major commuter lines across Canada came to a halt on Thursday as CN and CPKC locked out workers after months of increasingly acrimonious contract negotiations failed to produce an agreement, marking the first time there have been simultaneous work stoppages on the railroads.
Labour Minister Stephen McKinnon intervened later the same day, asking the Labour Commissioner to refer the parties to binding arbitration and return workers to work until an agreement was reached.
MacKinnon’s directive says binding arbitration will ensure “industrial peace” and result in a settlement to protect Canada’s trading relationships and industries hit hard by the shutdown.
The board met Thursday night and Friday and said it was addressing the issue “with the utmost urgency.”
CPKC workers went on strike when the lockout went into effect early Thursday morning. CN lifted the lockout on Thursday, but workers there could go on strike as soon as Monday after the Teamsters gave 72 hours’ notice on Friday.
CN said service resumed across Canada on Friday morning, with no major issues reported so far.
“Production continues to increase. We are focused on jump-starting the economy and we urge unions to do the same and not hold the Canadian economy hostage,” spokesman Jonathan Abecassis said in an interview Saturday.
CPKC’s operations remained suspended as of Friday.
The Teamsters allege the companies are trying to weaken protections around rest periods, shift lengths and shift schedules, putting worker safety at risk, and that CN also plans to move some employees to remote locations for several months to make up for labor shortages, the union said.
The Teamsters argue that the Secretary of Labor’s recommendation is unconstitutional and “destructive of the right to collective bargaining.”
