Ottawa has appointed a mediator to help settle outstanding issues in a labour dispute involving Canadian Pacific Railway and Teamsters Canada Rail Conference.
Professional mediator and former judge George Adams was appointed mediator April 20 by federal labour minister Kellie Leitch.
Labour talks between CP and the Teamsters union, which represents about 3,000 engineers and conductors at the railway, broke down in mid-February.
At the time, work schedules, time off and rest periods were identified as major obstacles to a negotiated deal.
The two sides agreed to enter binding arbitration Feb. 16, shortly after talks broke off.
The agreement to enter binding arbitration ended the threat of a nation-wide work stoppage at Canada’s second largest railway company.
“I am confident that (Adams) will lead the parties through the final stage of negotiations and resolve any outstanding issues to reach a fair settlement,” Letch said in an April 20 statement.
