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 both Canadian National and the TCRC (in suburban Laval) on Tuesday, and in Calgary, CPKC’s headquarters city, on Wednesday. He will “urge CN Rail, CPKC, and Teamsters to fulfill their responsibility to Canadians, reach agreements at the bargaining table, and prevent a full work stoppage,” a statement from MacKinnon’s office said today (Aug. 19).

CPKC and CN had said they would lock the union out on Aug. 22 after a government agency ruled on Aug. 9 that no rail operations would be required to continue as essential services in the event of a work stoppage, and set a 13-day cooling off period [see “Canadian rail strike could begin …,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 9, 2024]. On Sunday, CN delivered the formal 72-hour notice of those lockout plans, while the union issued a 72-hour notice of its intent to strike against CPKC [see “Teamsters Canada Rail Conference delivers strike notice …,” News Wire, Aug. 18, 2024]. While the strike by operating crews would begin at 12:01 a.m. ET, the strike by CPKC rail traffic controllers would begin at 12:01 a.m. MT.

Earlier today, a statement from CPKC CEO Keith Creel reiterated a comment released by the railroad late Sunday, saying TCRC leadership was “grossly misrepresenting” facts of the negotiation. Creel added,  It is patently false to suggest, as the TCRC leadership did last night, that CPKC has unilaterally changed or canceled the terms of the collective agreement or that the company is making proposals that compromise safety in any way.” The TCRC has said both CPKC and CN are seeking rule changes that would create fatigue risks for its members.

“CPKC remains focused on and committed to arriving at a negotiated outcome that is in the best interests of all our railroaders and their families,” Creel continued. “We understand and appreciate the disruption a work stoppage places on our TCRC employees and our other employees not on strike. … That said, we must end all this uncertainly that is disrupting so many lives. We want to get back to serving our customers and moving our economy. We want to get back to the work we are all here to do, benefiting the interests of all stakeholders.”