We expect the TCRC may announce the results of a strike vote in the next week. It should be noted that a union seeking a strike mandate from its membership is a normal part of the bargaining process.

The union cannot initiate strike action unless 72 hour’s advance notice is given to the Company. Based on our discussions to date, CN is optimistic that the company and union still have time to reach a mutually satisfactory collective agreement without a labour disruption. Nonetheless, if the union does provide such a 72 hour notice, the TCRC will be in a legal strike position as of 00:01 hours on Tuesday May 30, 2017.

This time around replacing 3000 conductors is an enormous undertaking. With the demographic retirement shift in the last few years; if there were to be a work stoppage, we would not have enough qualified non-union personnel to run the Canadian network on our railroad. The Canadian rail operation would stop while the US network and the non rail-terminal operations (Intermodal, Autoport, Transload) would continue with the inventory they would have on hand.