Rail workers pushed back hard Aug. 23 against the federal government’s move to get them back on the job, with a new strike notice and a regulatory challenge making it unclear when freight traffic will fully resume.

At Canadian National Railway, trains began to move again Aug. 23 morning as workers started to trickle back to work — even as the Teamsters union issued a 72-hour strike notice against CN shortly before 10 a.m. EDT.

And at Canadian Pacific Kansas City, the union has challenged a directive for binding arbitration issued by Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon to the country’s labor board.

A work stoppage at both national railways prompted MacKinnon to ask the Canada Industrial Relations Board on Aug. 22 to use the mechanism, aimed at resolving an impasse that has halted freight shipments and snarled commuter lines across the country.

The labor board summoned the parties to a meeting Aug. 22 night, followed by a hearing Aug. 23 morning. 

The tribunal said in an email it is addressing the issue “with utmost urgency.” A decision was expected later on Aug. 23.

Pickets continue

Pickets continue at the head office of CPKC in Calgary and those on the line received a visit from Francois Laporte, the national president of Teamsters Canada Aug. 23 morning.

Laporte and Sean O’Brien, the general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters arrived in a black semi truck, its horns blaring, with Teamsters written on the side.

O’Brien called the lockouts by both rail companies “a disgrace.”

“This is not over. I’m telling you this is not over. The struggle continues,” Laporte said to about 70 people who were on hand.

Binding arbitration

Before making the binding arbitration directive, the labor minister had faced pressure to intervene from business groups, which warned of the economic consequences of the work stoppage and urged Ottawa to break the deadlock and kick-start freight service.

At a Aug. 22 news conference, MacKinnon said the government is “committed totally to collective bargaining,” but said the impacts of the shutdown are being felt by all Canadians.

The government gave the negotiations “every possible opportunity to succeed,” he said.

Accusations

Each side had accused the other of failing to negotiate seriously, with wages and scheduling as key sticking points. The union had said it rejected binding arbitration, framing Ottawa’s decision as a move to “sidestep” it.

“Despite claiming to value and honor the collective bargaining process, the federal government quickly used its authority to suspend it, mere hours after an employer-imposed work stoppage,” said Paul Boucher, president of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, in a news release on Aug. 22.

The union has said both companies are pushing to weaken protections around rest periods and scheduling. It says CN also seeks a scheme that would see some employees move to far-flung locations for several months at a time to fill labor gaps.

CN pushed back Aug. 23, saying the Teamsters are “holding Canada hostage to their demands.”

Dispute to continue

“CN is focused on recovery in order to resume powering the economy. The Teamsters are focused on returning to the pickets and shutting everything down again,” said spokesman Jonathan Abecassis in a phone interview.

In Calgary, Laporte said he understood that the Teamsters at CN gave 72 hours strike notice this morning and as far as he’s concerned the dispute will continue.

“Our people are still on strike. We’re still on the streets so our operation will not resume. It is not going to be business as usual for both companies.”

O’Brien said the International Teamsters fully support their Canadian colleagues.

“Corporate greed is running rampant,” he told reporters at a picket outside CPKC headquarters in Calgary on Aug. 23. “Reward these workers with what they have earned. But also don’t try to diminish safety.”

“What’s important here is not to lose sight of the fact of who caused this problem right now. They chose to lock these workers out,” O’Brien said. “We got your backs 100%.”