Teamsters go on strike at CP; IBEW reaches tentative pact

More than 3,000 conductors and locomotive engineers represented by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference-Train & Engine (TCRC) at Canadian Pacific went on strike last night, Teamsters Canada announced.

The strike began at 10 p.m. yesterday after the union and CP could not agree to a new contract. Negotiations with the company are ongoing, Teamsters Canada officials said in a statement.

"Teamsters are committed to working with federal mediators and reaching a negotiated settlement," they said. "The union is willing to remain at the bargaining table during the strike.

TCRC members voted April 6 to authorize strike action and voted last week to reject CP's final offer.

Meanwhile, CP and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) System Council No. 11 announced shortly after yesterday's strike deadline that they've reached a tentative three-year agreement. IBEW represents about 360 signals and communications workers at CP.

IBEW members also had voted to reject CP's final offer last week and issued a 72-hour strike notice. But the new agreement announced last night "ensures that IBEW employees will remain on the job and passenger operations are not impacted," CP officials said in a press release.

CP President and Chief Executive Officer Keith Creel thanked the IBEW bargaining committee.

"We have come through a number of challenging years to become an operational leader," Creel said. "I look forward to working with this union to become the employer of choice."

IBEW Senior General Chairman Steve Martin said that while negotiations were difficult, "in the end we have reached a good deal for our membership and we're looking forward to building on the momentum of the last few days."