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Rail work stoppage shuts down some Canadian commuter rail lines and halts freight rail operations

Rail work stoppage shuts down some Canadian commuter rail lines and halts freight rail operations

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Railway workers in Canada are set to resume bargaining with the country's two largest railways, Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd., after contract talks broke off on Wednesday night. The lockout, which was implemented after the deadline for a new contract was missed, has already disrupted commuter railways in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, and has halted rail service in Southern Ontario. The shutdown is expected to have significant economic consequences, including disruptions to trade with the United States and other countries, as well as impacts on shipments of grain, potash, and coal. Industry groups had urged the government to prevent the stoppage, citing the importance of rail transport to Canada's economy. Approximately 6,500 containers enter the United States by rail every day, according to the Railway Association of Canada.

EXO
1. The proposed bus shuttles will not be able to compensate for all the interrupted service on the three affected train lines, and we recommend that users plan alternative routes via existing regular services.
Perrin Beatty
1. The minister of labour must use the tools at his disposal to immediately resolve this conflict through binding arbitration.
Paul Boucher
1. The railroads don't care about farmers, small businesses, supply chains or their own employees. Their sole focus is boosting their bottom line, even if it means jeopardizing the entire economy.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd
1. The TCRC [union] leadership continues to make unrealistic demands that would fundamentally impair the railway's ability to serve our customers with a reliable and cost-competitive transportation service.
Anderson Economic Group
1. Our experience with port shutdowns in the United States indicates that shippers will aggressively seek alternate routes, and industry will move to substitute other suppliers, especially during the first week of a strike or shutdown.
Teamsters Canada Rail Conference
1. The union did not respond to another offer by CN in a final attempt to avoid a labor disruption.
2. Despite months of good faith negotiations ... parties remain far apart, and both CN and CPKC have begun their lockout.
Canadian National Railway Co
1. Without an agreement or binding arbitration, CN had no choice but to finalise a safe and orderly shutdown and proceed with a lockout.
2. Despite months of good faith negotiations on the part of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, parties remain far apart, and both CN and CPKC have began their lockout of 00:01 today … Despite the lockout, the Teamsters remain at the bargaining table with both companies.
Steven MacKinnon
Bloc Quebecois
1. Obviously, I'm acting at a very early stage here and hoping they will act with similar dispatch … but again, I want to be deferential to the process that will unfold here.
2. These collective bargaining negotiations belong to CN Rail, CPKC and [Teamsters] workers alone – but their effects will be borne by all Canadians.
3. As minister of labour, I'm using my authorities … to secure industrial peace and deliver the short- and long-term solutions that are in the national interest.
4. Collective bargaining negotiations belong to these parties, but their effects and the impacts of the current impasse are being borne by all Canadians.
5. It is the government's duty and responsibility to ensure industrial peace in this critically vital sector.
6. Canadians must be assured that their government will not allow them to suffer when parties do not fill their responsibility to them at the bargaining table, especially where worker and community safety is at stake.

Rail work stoppage shuts down some Canadian commuter rail lines and halts freight rail operations

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