Railways across Canada are inching closer to strike conditions as nearly ten thousand workers haven't yet reached a deal on a new contract with Canada's biggest rail companies.
The Canadian Industrial Relations Board delayed a possible strike back in May to determine if there was any danger in the strike and has now given a date of August 22 for that strike to start if a new contract is not agreed on.
CN and CPKC have given a notice that they will lock out workers if a deal is not reached by the 22nd.
The possibility of a strike is concerning for the industry, especially so close to the fall, says Agricultural Producers of Saskatchewan Vice President Bill Prybylski.
"That rail strike at any time is troublesome, but with it being so close to harvest and in fact harvest beginning in a lot of areas of the province, it's very, very troublesome. Farmers are looking at the possibility of a pretty decent crop and we need to be able to move it in a timely basis and if there is a strike and it causes some delays in movement, that's going to be a problem for producers in that they have to be able to move their grain to get paid.
"Some long-term effects if Canada is seen as not a reliable supplier of grain because of not being able to get it to the customers when it's needed. That could hurt us in the long run."
Other agricultural industries are similarly warning that a strike could impact them greatly.
"Canada’s agriculture sector is key to our nation's prosperity and the food we grow is critical to millions of families around the world," said Dean Dias, chief executive officer for Cereals Canada. “With the possibility of both national rail carriers out of service at the same time, the timely delivery of these essential goods is at serious risk.”
“Canadian farmers need more than platitudes, we need prompt action by the federal government, rail and union officials. When factors beyond our control impact our industry, customers, and food security, that is when government needs to take immediate action,” stated Daryl Fransoo, Saskatchewan Director of the Wheat Grower's Association.
Prybylski says he hopes that both sides can end the upcoming strike right away.
"We would strongly urge that both sides of the railroads and the unions recognize the urgency of getting a deal and avoiding a labour disruption. So we would just strongly urge them to do whatever they can to use all the tools available to get a deal done before, before a strike or a lockout."