Railway workers in Canada go on strike

By: Thomas I. Likness
Eagle News Service

(Eagle News) — One of Canada’s two major railways has been shut down after more than 3,000 workers walked off the job Sunday to back contract demands.

Conductors, engineers, train and yard workers are on the picket line bringing CP Rail trains to a halt after both sides failed to reach a contract agreement.

The strike and lockout has industry groups asking the government to bring in back-to-work legislation to prevent further disruption to the country’s supply chain.

“We are calling on the federal government to do what is best for Canada’s economy by acting now and tabling back to work legislation,” Canadian Chamber of Commerce president Perrin Beatty said Sunday.

Fertilizer Canada echoed the call for a quick end to the strike.

“Work stoppage during the crucial spring seeding season will have crippling effects on the economy and agricultural sector, national and globally,” the organization said in a release.

But a back-to-work order is something federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan is hesitant to bring in.

“There are always challenges in bargaining, but you push through them to get the agreement you need. CP and Teamsters Rail continue their work today,” O’Regan tweeted Sunday. “Canadians are counting on a quick resolution.”

Wages and pensions are the main issues in the dispute, according to the union.

“However, also at issue in these talks are working conditions that call into question the railway’s capacity to recruit and retain workforce members,” the union said in a release Sunday.
(Eagle News Service)