Industry fears 'catastrophe,' economic fallout ahead of potential rail stoppage

August 15, 2024

North American industry groups and shippers are bracing for an unprecedented simultaneous stoppage at both of Canada's main railway companies that could inflict billions of dollars of economic damage.

As the world's second-largest country by area, Canada relies heavily on trains to transport goods including grain, beans, potash, coal and automobiles.

"It's a catastrophe. Literally nothing would move," said Greg Northey, vice-president of public affairs at Pulse Canada, a lobby group representing the pulse crop industry.

Talks between Canadian National Railway (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) on one hand and the Teamsters union on the other have deadlocked, with each side accusing the other of bad faith.

The rail companies say they will start locking out workers on Aug. 22 if they cannot reach a labour deal while the union says it is ready to call a strike for that date...

This was excerpted from the 14 August 2024 edition of CBC News.

Topic(s)

Freight & Transport

Information source

Canadian News Channel

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