Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has defended his government’s move to call for binding arbitration to force an end to a strike at the country’s two largest rail companies, while some union leaders have accused the government of stripping them of their negotiating rights.
Trudeau spoke for 15 minutes Wednesday at a meeting of the International Union of Operating Engineers in Winnipeg, touting his government’s record on labour law and saying the call for binding arbitration in Canadian National Railway v. Canadian Pacific Kansas City was made “reluctantly” out of necessity.
“Unfortunately, CN and CPKC made the extremely unfavorable decision last Thursday to lock out employees after talks reached an impasse,” Trudeau said.
“This has resulted in more than $1 billion per day in transportation costs. It has also raised serious public safety concerns, as everything from propane for remote hospitals to chlorine for safe drinking water is transported by rail.”
CPKC workers went on strike as soon as the lockout went into effect. On Saturday, the Canada Labour Relations Board granted the government’s request for binding arbitration and an end to the strike.
The Teamsters Canadian Railway Congress, which represents 9,300 rail workers, denounced the government’s move, saying it would deprive workers of bargaining rights.
Representatives of dockworker unions in Montreal, Vancouver and Halifax also criticized the move.
“This decision sets a dangerous precedent for future labour disputes and sends a signal to Canadian companies that when negotiations get tough, the federal government will always come to the rescue and help trample on employee rights,” the unions said in a joint press release on Wednesday.
Trudeau’s comments came ahead of a Sept. 16 by-election in the electoral district of Elmwood-Transcona, east of Winnipeg, which has strong ties to the Labor Party and has been an NDP stronghold since its creation 35 years ago, except for one term in 2011, when the district voted for the Conservatives.
In his speech, Trudeau drew cheers from the audience as he pointed to reforms his government has implemented since coming to power in 2015, including a ban on workers being replaced during labour disputes.
Trudeau did not take questions from reporters on Wednesday, and media members were asked to leave the room before union members could ask the prime minister questions.
Later that day, Trudeau paid a brief visit to the office of Liberal candidate in the Elmwood-Transcona by-election, Ian McIntyre, where he thanked volunteers and supporters.
In the evening, he spoke to members of Manitoba’s Hindu community at a temple in South Winnipeg, celebrating Canada’s diversity.
“Canada is not a place where you come here and are asked to abandon your Hinduism at the border.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with well-wishers in Winnipeg on Wednesday, just days after his government’s decision to force binding arbitration in a rail labour dispute sparked worker anger.
