24 March 2005

CN braces for strike

The following article is excerpted from the 24 March 2005 edition of “The Journal of Commerce”.

The federal government has named two mediators to help Canadian National Railway and the union representing signal and communications employees reach a deal and avoid a strike called for midnight Friday night.

"I am hopeful that with a willingness to be flexible and much hard work, the parties will be able to reach a settlement without a work stoppage," Labor Minister Joe Fontana said in a statement Wednesday. The railroad served notice it will maintain normal rail operations across Canada if the signal and communications employees deliver on the threat to strike.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers said late Tuesday the 644 workers in the CN local plan to begin a strike Friday at midnight if no agreement is reached….

The two sides were divided on standby provisions, quality of life issues, wages and benefits, the union said.

The company announced last week an agreement with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, which represents 1,750 locomotive engineers, to delay any labor action until May 12.

Last month, CN signed a four-year contract with about 2,200 track maintenance workers. It also reached a tentative contract settlement in mid-February with about 2,600 conductors, yard service employees and traffic coordinators.