The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference has taken down its picket lines at Canadian National Railway and will begin returning to work, the union said in a brief statement early today (Friday, Aug. 23). But the union said the work stoppage continues at Canadian Pacific Kansas City pending an order from the Canada Industrial Relations Board, […]
Zone & Region: Canada
Canadian commuter operations remain shuttered because of lockouts
The apparent end of lockouts at CPKC and Canadian National is not bringing an immediate return for commuter rail service halted by the labor dispute. Commuter lines suspended Thursday in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal will remain out of service today (Friday, Aug. 23) despite the government order to send the dispute between the railroads and […]
Lockouts begin on CN, CPKC
Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City are now shut down in Canada after locking out Teamsters Canada Rail Conference operating crews beginning at 12:01 a.m. today (Aug. 22) — the first time both railroads have been hit by a work stoppage at the same time. A lockout of CPKC rail traffic controllers began […]
CN calls for government intervention as rail shutdown approaches
MONTREAL — Canadian National Railway called for government intervention this evening as Canada moved closer to a shutdown of its two Class I railroads, but earlier today [Aug. 21] Prime Minister Justin Trudeau simply called on the two sides to reach a deal. CN plans to lock out members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference […]
Canadian commuter rail operations prepare for work stoppage
The potential strike by CPKC rail traffic controllers — set to begin Thursday morning — will scramble commuting in Canada’s three largest cities. Commuter rail operations in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal all rely on CPKC dispatching to varying degrees, and those operations will cease during a strike by controllers. Hardest hit will be Montreal, where […]
Canada’s labor minister to meet with CN, CPKC, union
OTTAWA, Ontario — Canada’s Minister of Labor, Steve MacKinnon, will meet with representatives of Canadian National, CPKC, and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference Tuesday and Wednesday in an effort to avoid the work stoppage set to begin at 12:01 a.m. ET on Thursday, Aug. 22. The CBC reports MacKinnon will be in Montreal, headquarters of […]
Teamsters Canada Rail Conference delivers strike notice to CPKC; CN delivers lockout notice (updated)
The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference today (Aug. 18) served a 72-hour strike notice to Canadian Pacific Kansas City, saying the union will walk out at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 22, barring a last-minute labor agreement. Canadian National Railway, meanwhile, announced it had delivered a formal 72-hour lockout notice, following up on plans it had […]
CN bridge collapses in Fort Frances, Ontario (updated)
FORT FRANCES, Ontario — A Canadian National Railway lift bridge in Fort Frances has collapsed, the website NWOnewswatch.com reports. CN said in a statement to website operator Dougall Media on Wednesday, Aug. 14, that it was responding to “an incident” involving the bridge across the Rainy River that provides its connection to the Port of […]
Inside a CN caboose
Safe from the frigid weather outside, the conductor of a Canadian National freight train examines his wheel reports as his brakeman takes a break for tea inside their caboose in New Brunswick in 1955. Philip R. Hastings photo […]
Northernmost point on North American rail network to lose service
HAY RIVER, Northwest Territories — Canadian National Railway has begun the process of ending service to Hay River, which currently holds the distinction of being the northernmost point connected to the North American rail network. Cabin Radio reports the railroad filed in May to discontinue service on its Meander River Subdivision between mileposts 354 and […]
Union responds to CPKC, CN lockout plans; Canadian industry fears impact of shutdown
The announcement by Canadian National and CPKC that they plan to lock out members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference on Aug. 22 represents “an unnecessary escalation that goes against the principles of good-faith bargaining that CN and CPKC claim to uphold,” the union said in a statement this afternoon (Friday, Aug. 9) The two […]
VIA Rail Canada’s public meeting discusses challenges, offers explanations: Analysis
MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada recaps the company’s forward-looking initiatives and financial performance for calendar 2023 in a 30-minute audio recording of its annual public meeting released on Wednesday, Aug. 7. The session is moderated by Jamie Orchard, VIA’s senior advisor of corporate communication, and features board of directors chair Francoise Bertrand, CEO Mario Peloquin, […]