Workers at Canadian National Railway (CN) are set to go on strike Monday, according to the Teamsters union. This development threatens Canada’s economy just days after the workers returned to their posts following a previous labor dispute. The union’s decision comes after its earlier pledge to challenge the Canadian government’s intervention aimed at ending a significant rail stoppage.
The strike will involve conductors, locomotive engineers, and other CN employees, the country’s largest railway company. This marks the latest escalation in the conflict between unions and Canada’s major rail operators, CN and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC).
On Thursday, both rail companies had locked out over 9,000 unionized workers, leading to a simultaneous rail stoppage. Business groups warned that the halt could result in hundreds of millions of dollars in economic losses.
In response, Canada’s Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon requested the country’s industrial relations board to end the stoppage and called for binding arbitration for the union, CN, and CPKC, citing concerns about the potential economic impact of prolonged disruptions.
Given its vast size, Canada heavily relies on its rail network for transporting key commodities and goods. Business and agricultural groups had urged the government to act quickly to prevent further economic damage.
However, the Teamsters union, representing the workers, has strongly opposed the government’s intervention. Francois Laporte, president of Teamsters Canada, criticized MacKinnon’s decision, arguing that a negotiated contract through direct bargaining would be more effective. “We don’t believe a third party should determine our working conditions,” Laporte said during a picket outside CPKC’s Calgary headquarters.
As of Friday, a Canadian government official had not commented further on the issue.
CN has resumed operations, with trains gradually returning to service. Jonathan Abecassis, a CN spokesperson, confirmed that the company’s plan to return to full operations was underway. “We are focused on getting back to work,” Abecassis said, while noting that the Teamsters appeared more focused on resuming protests.
While CN’s lockout was lifted following government intervention, CPKC’s lockout remained in effect as of Friday. MacKinnon expected the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to issue a ruling soon. Union and railroad officials met with CIRB representatives Friday morning, according to Teamsters updates on social media.
Chris Monette, a Teamsters spokesperson, indicated that the union would challenge the constitutionality of MacKinnon’s referral but did not provide specific details about the legal challenge. MacKinnon expressed confidence that his decision would hold up under legal scrutiny, citing his broad authority under Canada’s labor code. “We’re very confident about the path we’ve chosen here,” MacKinnon said.
Monette also noted that CN workers returned to work Friday, despite the lack of a formal back-to-work protocol, and anticipated some chaos in the return to operations.
CPKC workers remained locked out, with the company awaiting further instructions from the CIRB. CPKC stated Thursday that it was preparing to restart operations, with more details expected soon.
