CIRB orders CN, CPKC to resume operations; TCRC to appeal

The Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) on Aug. 24 ordered CN and Canadian Pacific Kansas City to resume rail operations and Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) union employees to return to work.

CN received an order from CIRB imposing binding arbitration between the company and TCRC.

"The CIRB has also ordered that no further labor stoppage, including a lockout or strike, can occur during the arbitration process," CN officials said in a press release. "This means that the strike notice recently issued to CN by the Teamsters is now voided."

On Aug. 23, the TCRC served CN with a 72-hour strike notice. A strike could have begun as early as today had the CIRB not acted. The CIRB order also extends the current collective agreement until a new one is signed, CN officials said.

CPKC said it will fully comply with the CIRB order. As such, CPKC is ending the lockout initiated on Aug. 22, company officials said in a news release. CPKC asked employees to return to work for yesterday's day shift.

"Our team is executing its restart plan for the safe and orderly resumption of rail service across Canada," CPKC said. "We are working with customers on a balanced return to normal operations."

On Aug. 29, the CIRB will convene a case-management meeting with the parties, CPKC officials added.

Although the union will comply, it is disappointed with the CIRB ruling and will appeal to federal court, TCRC officials said in a press release.

“This decision by the CIRB sets a dangerous precedent. It signals to corporate Canada that large companies need only stop their operations for a few hours, inflict short-term economic pain, and the federal government will step in to break a union,” said TCRC President Paul Boucher.

Canada’s two Class Is on Aug. 22 locked out more than 9,200 unionized workers after the parties couldn’t reach labor agreements by a midnight deadline. TCRC leaders maintain that the railways are asking the union to make concessions on crew scheduling, rail safety and fatigue management.

The union represents about 6,000 conductors, conductor trainers, yard coordinators and locomotive engineers across the CN network; and 3,200 locomotive engineers, conductors and yard workers at CPKC.