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The bill calling for the resumption of Canadian Pacific’s service in the wake of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) strike will move to the Canadian Senate today for consideration and passage, CP officials announced in a bulletin posted on the Class I’s website. The House of Commons passed the bill earlier this week.

“Following Senate approval, the final step would be the governor general’s royal assent, which could occur later today,” CP officials said in the bulletin. “The bill comes into force 12 hours after royal assent is given. This would allow CP’s Canadian operation to resume early Friday.”

The operations group is prepared to initiate a start-up plan as soon as notification of royal assent is given, they added.

The 4,800 CP workers represented by the TCRC have been on strike since May 23. Negotiations between the parties have stalled the past several days since the Canadian government released them from federal mediation. The union and railroad have been trying to reach a tentative agreement since October 2011, but have failed to resolve disputes concerning pension provisions, fatigue management and work rules. Their previous contract expired on Dec. 31, 2011.

TCRC officials oppose the return-to-work legislation. The union held a demonstration on Parliament Hill Tuesday to protest the bill.