CIRB Moves Strike or Lockout Deadline at CN and CPKC to August 22, say Teamsters
2024年8月10日 - 2:26AM
The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, which represents close to
10,000 workers at CN and CPKC, has taken note of today’s decision
from the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) on essential
services.
The decision aligns with what the Teamsters, CN, and CPKC have
long maintained: there is no need for essential services in the
event of a work stoppage in the rail industry.
“From the very beginning, rail workers have only ever sought a
fair and equitable agreement. Unfortunately, both rail companies
are demanding concessions that could tear families apart or
jeopardize rail safety. Rail workers have fought for a safer and
more humane industry for decades, and we will not accept moving
backwards,” said Paul Boucher, President, Teamsters Canada Rail
Conference.
New Deadlines for Work Stoppage
Workers’ right to strike had been temporarily suspended pending
today’s decision by the CIRB. This effectively robbed the union of
leverage. Absent the threat of a work stoppage, neither company had
been willing to compromise or show any flexibility in their
demands.
With this decision, if a negotiated settlement cannot be
reached, the earliest a work stoppage at CN and CPKC can occur is
August 22nd, at 00:01.
The Teamsters will provide 72 hours advance notice in the event
of any strike action. The union’s focus remains on negotiating in
good faith and reaching agreements at the bargaining table. Whether
or not this is possible is entirely up to CN and CPKC.
Rail safety and forced relocation dominate
talks
The main sticking points at the bargaining table are company
demands, not union proposals. Both companies want concessions on
issues pertaining to crew scheduling, rail safety, and fatigue
management.
CPKC wants to gut the collective agreement of all
safety-critical fatigue provisions. The end result will mean train
crews would be forced to stay awake even longer, increasing the
risk of derailments and other accidents. CPKC has also failed to
address the understaffing of rail traffic controllers.
Meanwhile, CN is targeting fewer articles around fatigue, but
still enough to raise safety concerns. CN aims to implement a
forced relocation scheme, which would see workers ordered to move
across the country for months at a time to fill labour shortages.
CN also wants to extend workdays in all provinces west of
Ontario.
Both companies claim to struggle with labour shortages and are
trying to squeeze more out of train crews.
Compromising on safety, or threatening to tear families apart
for months at a time, are not pathways to an agreement or solutions
to staffing problems. CN and CPKC should instead be looking to
improve working conditions and adopt a more humane approach to
railroading.
At over 125,000 members, Teamsters Canada is the country’s
largest transportation and supply chain union. It’s also the
largest union in the federally regulated private sector. They are
affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which
represents over 1.2 million workers in North America.
Media requests:
Christopher MonetteDirector of Public AffairsTeamsters
CanadaCell : 514-226-6002cmonette@teamsters.ca