CN Rail returns to work, CPKC continues lockout pending order

Canadian National Railway (CN Rail) workers return to work Friday after federal intervention on Thursday afternoon, but work stoppage at the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. (CPKC) continues pending an order from the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB).

Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon imposed binding arbitration Thursday afternoon to settle the dispute between the Teamsters union and Canada’s major railways.

This would mean that a third party would step in to resolve the dispute to make a decision.

MacKinnon asked that the board request the railways to resume operations under the terms of the current collective agreements aiming to get trains moving again.

The minister says that the government will also begin examining why there were repeated conflicts in the railway sector that led to the historic work stoppage.

READ MORE: CN Rail ends employee lock out, binding arbitration imposed

Negotiations between the railways and the teamsters broke down ahead of the Thursday 12:01 a.m. deadline, resulting in both railways locking their doors.

CN Rail workers ended their lockout Thursday at 6 p.m. and initiated its recovery plan while waiting for the formal order to come from the CIRB.

The railway said in a statement that it was satisfied that the labour conflict has ended and that it can return to powering the economy, but was “disappointed that a negotiated deal could not be achieved at the bargaining table despite its best efforts.”

CPKC says that they are prepared to resume services immediately after the receiving the official order to do so.

The Teamsters union say they are “deeply disappointed by this shameful decision” calling the minister’s intervention “unprecedented.”

The union and CPKC officials are planned to meet Friday morning.

READ MORE: Air Canada pilots set strike mandate, could walk off job next month

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh criticized the federal government calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s actions, “cowardly, anti-worker and proof that he will always cave to corporate greed.”

Organizations like Fertilizer Canada dealing with the effects of the 18-hour lockouts are more thankful for the quick resolution.

The Hamilton Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA) told CHCH News that not only are commuters affected by the lockout but Canada’s Trading systems are also affected.

Vice President of HOPA Larissa Fenn, says about 8,500 rail cars move through the port every year and carry commodities essential for the region.

She says that the lockout emphasizes how sensitive the country’s trading system is, and that it will take time for the system to address the backlog caused by the lockout and get rail cars back in service again.

Metrolinx told CHCH News after the announcement that services at Hamilton GO and Milton Line will continue to be suspended for Friday.

Thousands of commuters were impacted by the sudden work stoppage, with one Toronto resident telling CHCH News they nearly missed a job interview.

“It’s extremely inconvenient, coming here from Toronto. I had to take the GO Train to Oakville, then two buses,” he said.