Canada's rail companies and the union have been ordered back to work following a decision from the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB).
The decision supports Ottawa's call for binding arbitration between CN, CPKC and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), and extends the current collective agreement until a new deal is signed.
The CIRB held a case management hearing with all parties on Friday and released its decision late Saturday.
The Board has concluded that, in this case, it has no discretion or ability to refuse to implement, in whole or in part, the minister’s directions or to modify their terms.
CN Rail says it will comply with the CIRB order.
Over the last nine months, CN negotiated in good faith to reach a deal at the table. The Company consistently proposed offers with better pay, improved rest, more predictable schedules, and a voluntary mobile workforce.
While CN is disappointed an agreement could not be reached at the bargaining table, the Company is satisfied that this order effectively ends the unpredictability that has been negatively impacting supply chains for months.
CN remains focused on safely getting goods moving again, as efficiently as possible.
CPKC restarted its railway operations early this (Monday) morning in compliance with the CIRB order ending the lockout it initiated Thursday, August 22nd.
Our team is executing its restart plan for the safe and orderly resumption of rail service across Canada. We are working with customers on a balanced return to normal operations.
The CIRB will be convening a case management meeting with the parties on Thursday, Aug. 29, to discuss the imposition of final binding interest arbitration.
CPKC says it looks forward to welcoming all of our Canadian locomotive engineers, conductors, yardpersons and dispatchers back to work. We are focused on restoring our railway to full strength as we get back to serving our customers and moving Canada’s trade and commerce throughout North America.
A statement on the Teamsters website says the TCRC will comply with the CIRB decision, but will also appeal the ruling to federal court.
Paul Boucher, President of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference says 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. The rights of Canadian workers have been significantly diminished today. The Trudeau Liberals have chosen to side against middle- and working-class Canadians, abandoning their supposed progressive values at the first sign of short-term supply chain disruptions. The Teamsters have fought to protect rail safety in Canada, improve working conditions, and prevent CN from forcing workers to relocate thousands of kilometres away from their families—and we will continue to do so.
CN and CPKC say it will take several weeks to recover from the recent work stoppage.