CALGARY — Nearly three weeks after a strike against Canadian National Railway halted the movement of most freight on Canada’s largest railroad, Alberta farmers are asking the government to pass legislation designating the shipment of grain as an “essential service.”
Wheat growers say last month’s week-long strike damaged their reputation on the international market, according to a recent report by CBC News. More than 3,000 conductors and trainmen represented by the Teamsters Canadian Rail Conference walked off the job after working without a contract for several months. At the center of the labor dispute were concerns about safety and other operational practices.
Shortly after the strike, Alberta Wheat and Barley commissions announced they would support legislation preventing railroaders from walking off the job if it would impact the movement of grain. Canada’s longshoremen are already prevented from going on strike if it would impact the loading of grain-hauling vessels, and the commissioners say the same rule should apply to the rail system.
“The threat of strikes affecting grain movement is a recurring theme every few years and we need a long-term solution to ensure Canada can meet its export commitments,” says Alberta Barley Chair David Bishop.
A spokesman for the Teamsters declined to comment when reached by Trains News Wire.
On Nov. 26, the Teamsters and the railroad announced that they had reached an agreement on a new contract. Officials say the contract should be ratified sometime in January.
