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As rail shutdown looms, business groups warn of dire consequences unless feds step in
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Christopher Reynolds
Published Aug 21, 2024 • Last updated 9 hours ago • 6 minute read
MONTREAL — Hours away from an unprecedented potential shutdown at the country’s two biggest railways, business groups ratcheted up their pleas for Ottawa to step in and prevent a work stoppage that would upend supply chains — while the prime minister stressed a deal at the table is the best outcome.
A phased wind-down at Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. was already near completion Wednesday evening as negotiators struggled to find common ground in contract talks with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, with wages and scheduling as key sticking points.
The parties remained in talks into the evening, after CPKC and union representatives sat down separately with Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon in Calgary earlier in the day.
Unless agreements are reached, rail service at both companies is poised to hit the brakes at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Thursday.
Industry groups earlier in the day had urged the government to intervene.
“The federal government must show leadership and act before our trains — and with them, our economy — grind to a halt,” read a joint statement from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Business Council of Canada, Canadian Federation of Independent Business and Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.
“It affects everybody,” said Dennis Darby, CEO of the latter, in a phone interview. “Rail is that primary connection to the ports.
“You can’t roll the dice and say, well, let’s hope they’re going to come up with a plan.”
Under the Canada Labour Code, the federal labour minister can refer the dispute to the Canada Industrial Relations Board for binding arbitration and prohibit a strike or lockout in the interim, the business groups said.
Alternatively, they suggested the government recall Parliament and pass back-to-work legislation — a step taken by a previous Conservative government during a rail strike in 2012, and a move it threatened to make in 2015.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged the parties on Wednesday to hammer out a deal themselves rather than rely on federal intervention.
“My message has been straightforward. It is in the best interest of both sides to continue doing the hard work at the table to find a negotiated resolution,” he told reporters in Ottawa.
“Millions of Canadians, workers, of farmers, of businesses right across the country are counting on both sides to do the work to get a resolution.”
A stoppage by 9,300 engineers, conductors and yard workers at CN and CPKC would mark the first-ever simultaneous shutdown at the country’s main railroad operators.
Their trains haul a combined $1 billion worth of freight per day, ranging from cars and clothes to salt and cement, according to the Railway Association of Canada.
“The knock-on effects would be a multiple of that,” said Ulrich Paschen, a business instructor at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, noting that the goods hauled are used in turn to make other products, from flour to furniture.
“It would start trickling down to consumers pretty quickly.”
Industries hit hardest would include agriculture, mining, energy, retail, automaking and construction.
Conifex Timber said 250 employees will be affected as it cuts the operating schedule at its sawmill in Mackenzie, B.C., to one shift per day from two, starting on Monday.
Chief operating officer Andrew McLellan said the move, which will last “for the foreseeable future,” stems from the shutdown on new rail shipments coupled with poor market conditions.
“There’s not a whole bunch of trucks around that are available to move the volume that we require,” said Ken Shields, the company’s chairman and CEO, in a phone interview.
“And the trucking rates are much more expensive, so it’s a money-losing proposition to substitute truck deliveries for rail deliveries.”
Both railways have issued lockout notices for a minute past midnight on Thursday, while the union has served a strike notice to CPKC that would kick in at the same time.
Canadian Pacific barred virtually all new shipments on Tuesday morning, and CN did the same Wednesday to avoid leaving any goods stranded on the tracks.
Ports fear containers will pile up on the docks as cargo goes unmoved, causing congestion down the line and prompting some carriers to reroute to U.S. terminals.
Victor Pang, chief financial officer at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, pointed to the 13-day strike by 7,400 B.C. dockworkers last summer as a cautionary tale. Manufacturers said the job action blocked the flow of $500 million worth of goods each day.
“The kind of disruption that we had back in July, it took us multiple months to clear out,” Pang said.
The number of vessel arrivals at the Port of Vancouver — the country’s biggest — has already fallen 22 per cent over the past four weeks as shippers sought to steer clear of potential disruptions, according to supply chain platform Everstream Analytics.
Quebec deputy premier Genevieve Guilbault pegged responsibility for a possible rail halt on the prime minister, calling on Trudeau to “have the courage to take action” if no deal was reached by Thursday. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland pointed to the railways and union, saying that “they need to take their responsibilities seriously.”
More than 32,000 rail commuters across the country will also have to find new routes to the office if a work stoppage occurs at CPKC.
Transit authorities have said select commuter lines that run on Canadian Pacific tracks in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver will be suspended should dispatchers walk off the job.
The commuter lines affected by the potential work stoppage are TransLink’s West Coast Express in the Vancouver area, Metrolinx’s Milton line and the Lakeshore line’s Hamilton GO station in the Greater Toronto Area, and Exo’s Candiac, Saint-Jerome and Vaudreuil/Hudson lines in the Montreal area.
Riders on Via Rail’s 480-kilometre Sudbury-White River line, which runs three times a week in northern Ontario, would also be out of luck.
Retailers are worried about the ripple effects as well.
“Product is not being loaded onto various forms of transportation because of the expectation that it could just get backlogged and stuck,” said Michelle Wasylyshen, a spokeswoman at the Retail Council of Canada.
“We’re looking at holiday shopping products, Halloween products, even food items.”
— With files from Tara Deschamps in Toronto, Nojoud Al Mallees in Outaouais, Que., and Aaron Sousa in Edmonton
A look at recent major railway strikes at CN Rail and CPKC
Canada has an active history of rail strikes dating back to at least the early 20th century.
Here are some of the most recent job actions at the country’s two main freight railways, Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd., formerly known as CP Rail, as the clock ticks down to a potential work stoppage this Thursday.
2012
Canadian Pacific workers went on strike for nine days before the Conservative government ordered them back to work via legislation.
2015
A two-day walkout by Canadian Pacific employees ended under threat of a back-to-work bill under the government of then-prime minister Stephen Harper, with the two sides agreeing to binding arbitration.
2018
A strike by 3,000 CP Rail engineers and conductors ended 16 hours after it began as the parties settled on a tentative four-year deal.
2019
A strike by more than 3,000 workers at Canadian National gripped the country for eight days before they reached a collective agreement.
2022
Canadian Pacific workers hit the picket lines for 60 hours that March before a tentative contract with the company was hammered out.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Christopher Reynolds
Published Aug 21, 2024 • Last updated 9 hours ago • 6 minute read
MONTREAL — Hours away from an unprecedented potential shutdown at the country’s two biggest railways, business groups ratcheted up their pleas for Ottawa to step in and prevent a work stoppage that would upend supply chains — while the prime minister stressed a deal at the table is the best outcome.
A phased wind-down at Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. was already near completion Wednesday evening as negotiators struggled to find common ground in contract talks with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, with wages and scheduling as key sticking points.
The parties remained in talks into the evening, after CPKC and union representatives sat down separately with Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon in Calgary earlier in the day.
Unless agreements are reached, rail service at both companies is poised to hit the brakes at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Thursday.
Industry groups earlier in the day had urged the government to intervene.
“The federal government must show leadership and act before our trains — and with them, our economy — grind to a halt,” read a joint statement from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Business Council of Canada, Canadian Federation of Independent Business and Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.
“It affects everybody,” said Dennis Darby, CEO of the latter, in a phone interview. “Rail is that primary connection to the ports.
“You can’t roll the dice and say, well, let’s hope they’re going to come up with a plan.”
Under the Canada Labour Code, the federal labour minister can refer the dispute to the Canada Industrial Relations Board for binding arbitration and prohibit a strike or lockout in the interim, the business groups said.
Alternatively, they suggested the government recall Parliament and pass back-to-work legislation — a step taken by a previous Conservative government during a rail strike in 2012, and a move it threatened to make in 2015.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged the parties on Wednesday to hammer out a deal themselves rather than rely on federal intervention.
“My message has been straightforward. It is in the best interest of both sides to continue doing the hard work at the table to find a negotiated resolution,” he told reporters in Ottawa.
“Millions of Canadians, workers, of farmers, of businesses right across the country are counting on both sides to do the work to get a resolution.”
A stoppage by 9,300 engineers, conductors and yard workers at CN and CPKC would mark the first-ever simultaneous shutdown at the country’s main railroad operators.
Their trains haul a combined $1 billion worth of freight per day, ranging from cars and clothes to salt and cement, according to the Railway Association of Canada.
“The knock-on effects would be a multiple of that,” said Ulrich Paschen, a business instructor at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, noting that the goods hauled are used in turn to make other products, from flour to furniture.
“It would start trickling down to consumers pretty quickly.”
Industries hit hardest would include agriculture, mining, energy, retail, automaking and construction.
Conifex Timber said 250 employees will be affected as it cuts the operating schedule at its sawmill in Mackenzie, B.C., to one shift per day from two, starting on Monday.
Chief operating officer Andrew McLellan said the move, which will last “for the foreseeable future,” stems from the shutdown on new rail shipments coupled with poor market conditions.
“There’s not a whole bunch of trucks around that are available to move the volume that we require,” said Ken Shields, the company’s chairman and CEO, in a phone interview.
“And the trucking rates are much more expensive, so it’s a money-losing proposition to substitute truck deliveries for rail deliveries.”
Both railways have issued lockout notices for a minute past midnight on Thursday, while the union has served a strike notice to CPKC that would kick in at the same time.
Canadian Pacific barred virtually all new shipments on Tuesday morning, and CN did the same Wednesday to avoid leaving any goods stranded on the tracks.
Ports fear containers will pile up on the docks as cargo goes unmoved, causing congestion down the line and prompting some carriers to reroute to U.S. terminals.
Victor Pang, chief financial officer at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, pointed to the 13-day strike by 7,400 B.C. dockworkers last summer as a cautionary tale. Manufacturers said the job action blocked the flow of $500 million worth of goods each day.
“The kind of disruption that we had back in July, it took us multiple months to clear out,” Pang said.
The number of vessel arrivals at the Port of Vancouver — the country’s biggest — has already fallen 22 per cent over the past four weeks as shippers sought to steer clear of potential disruptions, according to supply chain platform Everstream Analytics.
Quebec deputy premier Genevieve Guilbault pegged responsibility for a possible rail halt on the prime minister, calling on Trudeau to “have the courage to take action” if no deal was reached by Thursday. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland pointed to the railways and union, saying that “they need to take their responsibilities seriously.”
More than 32,000 rail commuters across the country will also have to find new routes to the office if a work stoppage occurs at CPKC.
Transit authorities have said select commuter lines that run on Canadian Pacific tracks in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver will be suspended should dispatchers walk off the job.
The commuter lines affected by the potential work stoppage are TransLink’s West Coast Express in the Vancouver area, Metrolinx’s Milton line and the Lakeshore line’s Hamilton GO station in the Greater Toronto Area, and Exo’s Candiac, Saint-Jerome and Vaudreuil/Hudson lines in the Montreal area.
Riders on Via Rail’s 480-kilometre Sudbury-White River line, which runs three times a week in northern Ontario, would also be out of luck.
Retailers are worried about the ripple effects as well.
“Product is not being loaded onto various forms of transportation because of the expectation that it could just get backlogged and stuck,” said Michelle Wasylyshen, a spokeswoman at the Retail Council of Canada.
“We’re looking at holiday shopping products, Halloween products, even food items.”
— With files from Tara Deschamps in Toronto, Nojoud Al Mallees in Outaouais, Que., and Aaron Sousa in Edmonton
A look at recent major railway strikes at CN Rail and CPKC
Canada has an active history of rail strikes dating back to at least the early 20th century.
Here are some of the most recent job actions at the country’s two main freight railways, Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd., formerly known as CP Rail, as the clock ticks down to a potential work stoppage this Thursday.
2012
Canadian Pacific workers went on strike for nine days before the Conservative government ordered them back to work via legislation.
2015
A two-day walkout by Canadian Pacific employees ended under threat of a back-to-work bill under the government of then-prime minister Stephen Harper, with the two sides agreeing to binding arbitration.
2018
A strike by 3,000 CP Rail engineers and conductors ended 16 hours after it began as the parties settled on a tentative four-year deal.
2019
A strike by more than 3,000 workers at Canadian National gripped the country for eight days before they reached a collective agreement.
2022
Canadian Pacific workers hit the picket lines for 60 hours that March before a tentative contract with the company was hammered out.
As rail shutdown looms, business groups warn of dire consequences unless feds step in
Canada is just hours away from an unprecedented potential shutdown at the country’s two main railways.
What to know about the potential work stoppage at Canada’s two biggest railways
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Morgan Lowrie
Published Aug 21, 2024 • 3 minute read
MONTREAL — A looming work stoppage at Canada’s two biggest railways could have widespread effects on everything from daily commutes to the movement of grain and fuel.
Unless deals are reached, rail service at both Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. could grind to a halt at 12:01 a.m. EDT Thursday, in what’s been described as an unprecedented simultaneous work stoppage at the country’s biggest rail companies.
Here are some of the potential effects:
Commuters
Transit authorities say select commuter lines that run on CPKC tracks in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver will be suspended should dispatchers and other workers walk off the job, leaving some 32,000 commuters to find other routes to the office.
About 21,000 of them are in the Montreal area, where the Exo network is asking customers on the Candiac, Saint-Jerome and Vaudreuil/Hudson lines to look for alternative transport.
Other commuter lines affected by the potential work stoppage are TransLink’s West Coast Express in the Vancouver area, Metrolinx’s Milton line and the Lakeshore line’s Hamilton GO station in the Greater Toronto Area.
Ports
If left without a way to keep cargo moving out by rail, Canadian ports can expect backlogs and slowdowns as containers pile up.
The Port of Vancouver — where two-thirds of the cargo arrives or leaves by rail — said it expects disruptions to the movements of grain, potash, coal and other goods. The port said this week that it expects increased traffic at anchorages at the Port of Vancouver and around the Southern Gulf Islands, and has asked ships en route to Vancouver to slow down in order to limit congestion.
The Montreal Port Authority says it intends to redouble its efforts to allow more trucks to use its terminals in the case of a work stoppage, but spokeswoman Melanie Nadeau said that certain markets served from Montreal would face major challenges, notably Ontario.
Retail
The Retail Council of Canada says the country’s biggest brands often bring product into the country from Asia and Europe via ports in Montreal and Vancouver. The strikes stand to stop the flow of merchandise and consumer goods spanning from food to apparel, furniture and even electronics, the council’s spokeswoman Michelle Wasylyshen said.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business has also warned that any disruptions to railway operations could be “devastating” for small businesses who rely on rail services to send and receive goods, and who may lose sales and contracts if items are not delivered or received on time.
Commodities
The two rail companies involved in the contract dispute move roughly $1 billion worth of goods per day, ranging from wheat to timber, oil and consumer products, according to the Railway Association of Canada.
Some 315.7 million tonnes of commodities were moved by rail in 2022, including 20.9 tonnes of wheat, 6.9 million tonnes of canola, 48.6 million tonnes of coal and 18.2 million tonnes of iron ores and concentrates, Statistics Canada reported. Potash, fertilizer, lumber, and construction materials such as sand, gravel, stones and crushed stone are other big movers.
Wade Sobkowich, who heads the Western Grain Elevator Association, said there is “no Plan B” to replace the 6,500 railcars that carry bulk grain across the country.
Rail companies already started refusing perishable grocery store items like meat, french fries and bananas in anticipation of a possible strike, said Michael Graydon, CEO of Food, Health and Consumer Products of Canada.
International effects
Railways and business groups in the United States are also warning of the potential consequences of a work stoppage. The U.S. and Canadian chambers of commerce issued a joint statement urging the Canadian government to intervene.
“Significant two-way trade and deeply integrated supply chains between Canada and the United States mean that any significant rail disruption will jeopardize the livelihoods of workers across multiple industries on both sides of the border,” they wrote.
The U.S.-based CSX and Norfolk Southern railways have closed their gates to most cross-border shipments, while shipping giants such as Hapag-Lloyd have made “contingency plans” as others reroute cargo.
— With files from Tara Deschamps in Toronto, Christopher Reynolds in Montreal and Jeremy Simes in Regina.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Morgan Lowrie
Published Aug 21, 2024 • 3 minute read
MONTREAL — A looming work stoppage at Canada’s two biggest railways could have widespread effects on everything from daily commutes to the movement of grain and fuel.
Unless deals are reached, rail service at both Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. could grind to a halt at 12:01 a.m. EDT Thursday, in what’s been described as an unprecedented simultaneous work stoppage at the country’s biggest rail companies.
Here are some of the potential effects:
Commuters
Transit authorities say select commuter lines that run on CPKC tracks in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver will be suspended should dispatchers and other workers walk off the job, leaving some 32,000 commuters to find other routes to the office.
About 21,000 of them are in the Montreal area, where the Exo network is asking customers on the Candiac, Saint-Jerome and Vaudreuil/Hudson lines to look for alternative transport.
Other commuter lines affected by the potential work stoppage are TransLink’s West Coast Express in the Vancouver area, Metrolinx’s Milton line and the Lakeshore line’s Hamilton GO station in the Greater Toronto Area.
Ports
If left without a way to keep cargo moving out by rail, Canadian ports can expect backlogs and slowdowns as containers pile up.
The Port of Vancouver — where two-thirds of the cargo arrives or leaves by rail — said it expects disruptions to the movements of grain, potash, coal and other goods. The port said this week that it expects increased traffic at anchorages at the Port of Vancouver and around the Southern Gulf Islands, and has asked ships en route to Vancouver to slow down in order to limit congestion.
The Montreal Port Authority says it intends to redouble its efforts to allow more trucks to use its terminals in the case of a work stoppage, but spokeswoman Melanie Nadeau said that certain markets served from Montreal would face major challenges, notably Ontario.
Retail
The Retail Council of Canada says the country’s biggest brands often bring product into the country from Asia and Europe via ports in Montreal and Vancouver. The strikes stand to stop the flow of merchandise and consumer goods spanning from food to apparel, furniture and even electronics, the council’s spokeswoman Michelle Wasylyshen said.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business has also warned that any disruptions to railway operations could be “devastating” for small businesses who rely on rail services to send and receive goods, and who may lose sales and contracts if items are not delivered or received on time.
Commodities
The two rail companies involved in the contract dispute move roughly $1 billion worth of goods per day, ranging from wheat to timber, oil and consumer products, according to the Railway Association of Canada.
Some 315.7 million tonnes of commodities were moved by rail in 2022, including 20.9 tonnes of wheat, 6.9 million tonnes of canola, 48.6 million tonnes of coal and 18.2 million tonnes of iron ores and concentrates, Statistics Canada reported. Potash, fertilizer, lumber, and construction materials such as sand, gravel, stones and crushed stone are other big movers.
Wade Sobkowich, who heads the Western Grain Elevator Association, said there is “no Plan B” to replace the 6,500 railcars that carry bulk grain across the country.
Rail companies already started refusing perishable grocery store items like meat, french fries and bananas in anticipation of a possible strike, said Michael Graydon, CEO of Food, Health and Consumer Products of Canada.
International effects
Railways and business groups in the United States are also warning of the potential consequences of a work stoppage. The U.S. and Canadian chambers of commerce issued a joint statement urging the Canadian government to intervene.
“Significant two-way trade and deeply integrated supply chains between Canada and the United States mean that any significant rail disruption will jeopardize the livelihoods of workers across multiple industries on both sides of the border,” they wrote.
The U.S.-based CSX and Norfolk Southern railways have closed their gates to most cross-border shipments, while shipping giants such as Hapag-Lloyd have made “contingency plans” as others reroute cargo.
— With files from Tara Deschamps in Toronto, Christopher Reynolds in Montreal and Jeremy Simes in Regina.
What to know about the potential work stoppage at Canada’s two biggest railways
A looming work stoppage at Canada's two biggest railways could have widespread effects.
Stayiing the fuck out of the way would be the best help government could give farmers.
Maybe up there. Down hereabouts the one thing Dems and Reps from the middle of the country agree on is billions more in farm subsidies.
"Harvest has already started. If terminals aren't empty and we can't ship we don't get paid", says Petros Again a Saskatchewan grain oilseed and pulse producer operating in the Parkland region.What to know about the potential work stoppage at Canada’s two biggest railways
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Morgan Lowrie
Published Aug 21, 2024 • 3 minute read
MONTREAL — A looming work stoppage at Canada’s two biggest railways could have widespread effects on everything from daily commutes to the movement of grain and fuel.
Unless deals are reached, rail service at both Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. could grind to a halt at 12:01 a.m. EDT Thursday, in what’s been described as an unprecedented simultaneous work stoppage at the country’s biggest rail companies.
Here are some of the potential effects:
Commuters
Transit authorities say select commuter lines that run on CPKC tracks in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver will be suspended should dispatchers and other workers walk off the job, leaving some 32,000 commuters to find other routes to the office.
About 21,000 of them are in the Montreal area, where the Exo network is asking customers on the Candiac, Saint-Jerome and Vaudreuil/Hudson lines to look for alternative transport.
Other commuter lines affected by the potential work stoppage are TransLink’s West Coast Express in the Vancouver area, Metrolinx’s Milton line and the Lakeshore line’s Hamilton GO station in the Greater Toronto Area.
Ports
If left without a way to keep cargo moving out by rail, Canadian ports can expect backlogs and slowdowns as containers pile up.
The Port of Vancouver — where two-thirds of the cargo arrives or leaves by rail — said it expects disruptions to the movements of grain, potash, coal and other goods. The port said this week that it expects increased traffic at anchorages at the Port of Vancouver and around the Southern Gulf Islands, and has asked ships en route to Vancouver to slow down in order to limit congestion.
The Montreal Port Authority says it intends to redouble its efforts to allow more trucks to use its terminals in the case of a work stoppage, but spokeswoman Melanie Nadeau said that certain markets served from Montreal would face major challenges, notably Ontario.
Retail
The Retail Council of Canada says the country’s biggest brands often bring product into the country from Asia and Europe via ports in Montreal and Vancouver. The strikes stand to stop the flow of merchandise and consumer goods spanning from food to apparel, furniture and even electronics, the council’s spokeswoman Michelle Wasylyshen said.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business has also warned that any disruptions to railway operations could be “devastating” for small businesses who rely on rail services to send and receive goods, and who may lose sales and contracts if items are not delivered or received on time.
Commodities
The two rail companies involved in the contract dispute move roughly $1 billion worth of goods per day, ranging from wheat to timber, oil and consumer products, according to the Railway Association of Canada.
Some 315.7 million tonnes of commodities were moved by rail in 2022, including 20.9 tonnes of wheat, 6.9 million tonnes of canola, 48.6 million tonnes of coal and 18.2 million tonnes of iron ores and concentrates, Statistics Canada reported. Potash, fertilizer, lumber, and construction materials such as sand, gravel, stones and crushed stone are other big movers.
Wade Sobkowich, who heads the Western Grain Elevator Association, said there is “no Plan B” to replace the 6,500 railcars that carry bulk grain across the country.
Rail companies already started refusing perishable grocery store items like meat, french fries and bananas in anticipation of a possible strike, said Michael Graydon, CEO of Food, Health and Consumer Products of Canada.
International effects
Railways and business groups in the United States are also warning of the potential consequences of a work stoppage. The U.S. and Canadian chambers of commerce issued a joint statement urging the Canadian government to intervene.
“Significant two-way trade and deeply integrated supply chains between Canada and the United States mean that any significant rail disruption will jeopardize the livelihoods of workers across multiple industries on both sides of the border,” they wrote.
The U.S.-based CSX and Norfolk Southern railways have closed their gates to most cross-border shipments, while shipping giants such as Hapag-Lloyd have made “contingency plans” as others reroute cargo.
— With files from Tara Deschamps in Toronto, Christopher Reynolds in Montreal and Jeremy Simes in Regina.
What to know about the potential work stoppage at Canada’s two biggest railways
A looming work stoppage at Canada's two biggest railways could have widespread effects.
"Western producers are looking at a possible record crop of top quality cereal grain. If we have a record crop like it looks, the Canadian economy might avoid a recession. If we can't sell our product or its bottlenecked for a month we will have a recession and the bumper crop rots in piles in the fields with no one getting paid all the way down the to the poorest of the poor on the planet who could've ate that grain" he says.
It's an economic terrorist attack.
“Without an agreement or binding arbitration, CN had no choice but to finalize a safe and orderly shutdown and proceed with a lockout,” CN said in a statement.
The Calgary-based railway said binding arbitration was the only “responsible” way to end the impasse.
“CPKC is acting to protect Canada’s supply chains, and all stakeholders, from further uncertainty and the more widespread disruption that would be created should this dispute drag out further resulting in a potential work stoppage occurring during the fall peak shipping period,” CPKC said in a statement. The Fall peak shipping period of what??
“Throughout this process, CN and CPKC have shown themselves willing to compromise rail safety and tear families apart to earn an extra buck,” said Paul Boucher, president of Teamsters Canada Rail Conference. “The railroads don’t care about farmers, small businesses, supply chains, or their own employees. Their sole focus is boosting their bottom line, even if it means jeopardizing the entire economy.”
John Corey, president of the Freight Management Association of Canada, said the lockouts underline the need for the government to stop “sitting on its hands” and take action to end the disputes.
“Essentially, the Canadian supply chain has ground to a halt,” he said in an interview early on Thursday morning. “There are going to be no goods coming into the country through the ports and nothing’s going to go out.”
There are no viable alternatives to freight trains, due to their capacity and efficiency at moving bulk commodities and strings of cargo containers.
So, are the Railways an essential service?
Business groups representing a cross-section of the economy were urging the government to step in and keep the rail network running. They say the two freight haulers carry $380-billion in goods every year, and the loss of rail service will cause layoffs, plant shutdowns and shortages of consumer goods and raw materials.
The rail stoppage comes at a time Canada’s farmers and grain exporters are relying on railways to reach markets in North America and overseas. More than $50-million in wheat, canola and other grain is shipped by rail every day in late summer and the fall, said Wade Sobkowich, executive director of Western Grain Elevator Association, which lobbies on behalf of Richardson International and other big grain companies.
Under Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, Mr. MacKinnon has the power to order the Canadian Industrial Relations Board to impose binding arbitration in the disputes. This could avert strikes or lockouts. Mr. MacKinnon last week refused CN’s request to do so, saying the bargaining teams needed to solve their own issues.
Canada’s biggest railways lock out workers after failed negotiations with union — The Globe and Mail
CPKC and CN and the union, which represents almost 10,000 railway workers, have been in separate talks for several months. The Teamsters had issued a strike notice at CPKC but not CN
Funny, coincidentally, this seems to happen at harvest time for farmers. Could happen at any other time of year, but it doesn’t seem to…
Thankfully, this is not about vaccine mandates by the Liberal/NDP Government.
1) Some truckers partially shutting down one bridge temporarily during the Ottawa parking situation….or…
2) the Railway blockades previous previous to that…that the government really did nothing about…One of these two options anyway.
“Without an agreement or binding arbitration, CN had no choice but to finalize a safe and orderly shutdown and proceed with a lockout,” CN said in a statement.
The Calgary-based railway said binding arbitration was the only “responsible” way to end the impasse.
“CPKC is acting to protect Canada’s supply chains, and all stakeholders, from further uncertainty and the more widespread disruption that would be created should this dispute drag out further resulting in a potential work stoppage occurring during the fall peak shipping period,” CPKC said in a statement. The Fall peak shipping period of what??
“Throughout this process, CN and CPKC have shown themselves willing to compromise rail safety and tear families apart to earn an extra buck,” said Paul Boucher, president of Teamsters Canada Rail Conference. “The railroads don’t care about farmers, small businesses, supply chains, or their own employees. Their sole focus is boosting their bottom line, even if it means jeopardizing the entire economy.”
John Corey, president of the Freight Management Association of Canada, said the lockouts underline the need for the government to stop “sitting on its hands” and take action to end the disputes.
“Essentially, the Canadian supply chain has ground to a halt,” he said in an interview early on Thursday morning. “There are going to be no goods coming into the country through the ports and nothing’s going to go out.”
There are no viable alternatives to freight trains, due to their capacity and efficiency at moving bulk commodities and strings of cargo containers.
So, are the Railways an essential service?
View attachment 24249
Business groups representing a cross-section of the economy were urging the government to step in and keep the rail network running. They say the two freight haulers carry $380-billion in goods every year, and the loss of rail service will cause layoffs, plant shutdowns and shortages of consumer goods and raw materials.
The rail stoppage comes at a time Canada’s farmers and grain exporters are relying on railways to reach markets in North America and overseas. More than $50-million in wheat, canola and other grain is shipped by rail every day in late summer and the fall, said Wade Sobkowich, executive director of Western Grain Elevator Association, which lobbies on behalf of Richardson International and other big grain companies.
Under Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, Mr. MacKinnon has the power to order the Canadian Industrial Relations Board to impose binding arbitration in the disputes. This could avert strikes or lockouts. Mr. MacKinnon last week refused CN’s request to do so, saying the bargaining teams needed to solve their own issues.
Canada’s biggest railways lock out workers after failed negotiations with union — The Globe and Mail
CPKC and CN and the union, which represents almost 10,000 railway workers, have been in separate talks for several months. The Teamsters had issued a strike notice at CPKC but not CNapple.news
Funny, coincidentally, this seems to happen at harvest time for farmers. Could happen at any other time of year, but it doesn’t seem to…
Thankfully, this is not about vaccine mandates by the Liberal/NDP Government.
Well, Freeland has invoked the “will not accept dillydallying” phrase so…she is either taking this as seriously as:
1) Some truckers partially shutting down one bridge temporarily during the Ottawa parking situation….or…
2) the Railway blockades previous previous to that…that the government really did nothing about…One of these two options anyway.
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Public Inquiries into Emergencies Act begin September 19
Pretty much why my buddy Rudolph Hitler figured he'd never make it in politics. Shoulda been born Canadian. There’s a Castro joke in there somewhere…
forums.canadiancontent.net
Is the Union encouraging the companies to drop off as many empties on as many sidings as possible in western Canada?
The $9K for grain bags to store could have been two months vaykay in Costa Rica.
‘We don’t want to be here’: Sask. CPKC workers frustrated by rail lockout
"We want the public to know this is not our decision - we want to be working."
www.cjme.com
Canada moves to end rail shutdown quickly; CN workers to return to work — Reuters
Workers at Canadian National Railway (CNR.TO) will begin returning to work on Friday, the Teamsters union said, hours after the Canadian government moved to end an unprecedented rail stoppage.
Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon on Thursday directed the country’s labour tribunal, the Canadian Industrial Relations Board, to order the railways to resume service and enter binding arbitration to reach collective agreements. “There will be back-to-work legislation,” Mr. MacKinnon told reporters in Ottawa.
Although CN has declared its lockout over and its 6,500 Teamsters Canada Rail Conference members are returning to work on Friday, the stoppage at CPKC persists.
The Teamsters, however, issued a strike notice at CN for 10 a.m. ET on Monday, signalling the disputes are far from resolved.
apple.news
The Teamsters, which has opposed company demands to let an arbitrator settle the contracts, called the minister’s order to the CIRB “shameful” and an attempt to appease the companies.
Teamsters spokesman Christopher Monette said the union is still deciding its next steps. “Despite the labour minister’s referral, there is no clear indication that the CIRB will actually order an end to the labour dispute at CPKC,” the union said in a statement.
CPKC said it was set to restart operations on Thursday night but held off after learning the union plans to challenge the legality of the labour minister’s order.
Although CN has declared its lockout over and its 6,500 Teamsters Canada Rail Conference members are returning to work on Friday, the stoppage at CPKC persists.
The Teamsters, however, issued a strike notice at CN for 10 a.m. ET on Monday, signalling the disputes are far from resolved.
Union issues new strike threats as railways await word on arbitration — The Globe and Mail
Although CN has declared its lockout over, the union issued a strike notice at the Montreal-based rail carrier for Monday at 10 a.m. ET
Teamsters spokesman Christopher Monette said the union is still deciding its next steps. “Despite the labour minister’s referral, there is no clear indication that the CIRB will actually order an end to the labour dispute at CPKC,” the union said in a statement.
CPKC said it was set to restart operations on Thursday night but held off after learning the union plans to challenge the legality of the labour minister’s order.