Canadian rail strike could begin as soon as Aug. 22

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Canadian rail strike could begin as soon as Aug. 22
Strike was deemed to cause no immediate threat to the public

FreightWaves Staff
Friday, August 09, 2024

This story originally appeared on Trains.com. This story has been updated with comments from labor minister Steve MacKinnon.

OTTAWA — The Canada Industrial Relations Board has cleared the way for a potential rail strike that could begin as soon as Aug. 22 if the Canadian railways can’t reach an agreement with the union that represents train crews.

The CIRB ruled today that a work stoppage on Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City would not cause an immediate threat to public health and safety. The agency had put a potential strike on hold while it evaluated whether certain commodities must keep moving during a strike or lockout.

“Today, the Canada Industrial Relations Board ruled that no activities need to be maintained in the event of a strike or lockout at CN or CPKC,” Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon said in a statement. “The CIBC has also imposed a 13-day cooling off period before a strike or lockout can occur.”

MacKinnon called on the union and railways to continue to hold contract talks. “A negotiated settlement is the best way forward,” he said.

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[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Looming Canadian railroad work stoppage threatens U.S. supply chains

Looming Canadian railroad work stoppage threatens U.S. supply chains
A labor dispute between Canada’s two largest railroads and the Teamsters could lead to a lockout as soon as Thursday morning.


Shipping containers and tankers are seen as railcars sit idle at the Canadian Pacific Kansas City rail yard in Port Coquitlam, B.C., on Monday. A phased shutdown of two Canadian railways is already underway as the clock ticks down on negotiations with the union representing engineers, conductors and yard workers. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press/AP)

By Lauren Kaori Gurley
August 21, 2024 at 6:05 a.m. EDT

A looming rail work stoppage in Canada is worrying U.S. businesses and threatening deliveries of cars, timber, petroleum products, grains and other crucial supplies. ... Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Canadian National railroads, the country’s two largest railways, plan to lock out Teamsters members as soon as 12:01 a.m. Thursday. ... Already, scheduled shipments of perishable and hazardous products, such as frozen food, propane, and chemicals used to purify water, have been halted, according to the companies.

Negotiations between the railroads and the Teamsters’ Canada-based rail workers are ongoing, and the Canadian government has rejected calls to intervene. The Teamsters are seeking guarantees around scheduling practices and safety provisions in response to “understaffing.” Meanwhile, the railroads say they have offered significant pay increases and addressed concerns about scheduling.

The consequences of a Canadian rail strike could be far-reaching. Canadian Pacific Kansas City advised over the weekend that starting Tuesday, it would stop all shipments that start in Canada, as well as those originating in the United States headed for Canada. The U.S. railway Union Pacific has said a shutdown would sideline more than 2,500 railcars from crossing the border each day, according to a company document reviewed by The Washington Post.

One of the largest U.S. rail unions, which is affiliated with the Teamsters, has told members that they can refuse to operate the two Canadian companies’ trains in the United States. The companies say they had planned to continue operations in the United States.

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By Lauren Kaori Gurley
Lauren Kaori Gurley is the labor reporter for The Washington Post. She previously covered labor and tech for Vice for three years. Twitter

[Backseat Driver]

3. OH-OH!