After a fractious, long negotiating period, CN and CPKC and the Teamsters union have failed to come to an agreement. CN and CPKC have locked out their workers, in advance of the workers striking. This is unprecedented in Canada.
Both sides are pointing fingers, stating they negotiated in good faith and made good offers, and it’s the other side’s fault that they can’t come to an agreement.
To me, as a relatively uninformed observer, this looks like a failure by the negotiators on all sides. This should never have happened.
CN and CPKC trains have stopped. Management will attempt to run some trains, with people who haven’t run trains in years, or people who received hasty training in preparation for an activity like this. Only a small fraction of trains will run.
Commuters in the Vancouver area, Toronto area and Montreal area will be affected as West Coast Express, Metrolinx’s Milton line and some of Exo’s lines in the Montreal area were run by now-locked-out employees.
Now the economic impact to Canada has begun, and will worsen dramatically as shipments of critical materials like chlorine for our drinking water stop.
Let’s hope they get back to the bargaining table and hammer out a deal.
UPDATE: Well, that was quick. Within 12 hours the federal government ordered the parties to submit to binding arbitration, and ordered the trains back to work.
The union was fighting hard for better working conditions but I fear they won’t get much of that out of the arbitration.
Steve –
Strike is back on starting Monday as Unions have issued notice this time – Its a shame and will cost everybody something one way or another – I really feel this is not fair especially for the farmers as grain needs to move as its harvest time and ships are waiting to load.
Unions to me seem to act with strike action to force their point of view without regard for others as to the harm they cause.
Thanks for your very interesting articles – We easterners are learning and appreciating them-!
A strike won’t work if you do it at a time that’s “convenient” for everyone. The unions are doing exactly the right thing.
What’s unfair is that the norm is to blame the union. I look at it as management is being unfair to the farmers and commuters and all rail customers. Management is causing the harm. If they would give the union what they deserve, there wouldn’t be a strike.
I don’t know how it is in Canada, but in the US, management is almost always more concerned with the stock market investors and power than they are with their employees – the people who actually do the work for the company.
Do you know why management never goes on strike? Because no one would notice. The company would function just fine without them.
I think if the union negociators concentated on safety as they say they do and maybe a bit less on money it would be productive and the workers would likely benefit from better and safer conditions. As we all know most of your pay raise will go to the government anyway. Lately I have been concentrating in my personal situation on asking for better working conditions and I’ve succeeded beyond my hopes. And I don’t make anywhere near what the unionized rail workers make.
And Glenn I respect your opinion but you neglected ? to include your complete name.