Alberta’s provincial wheat and barley commissions are urging the federal minister of labour to find an immediate resolution to an ongoing labour dispute that could result in a strike at Canadian Pacific Railway beginning March 16.
In a March 15 letter to labour minister Seamus O’Regan, Alberta Wheat and Alberta Barley said any disruption to CP rail service would have a “devastating impact” on farmers.
The commissions urged O’Regan and the federal government to intervene through “any measures necessary” to protect farmers against economic losses during the critical period leading up to the 2022 growing season.
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“Alberta’s family farms are relying on the 2022 crop to financially recover after the 2021 crop was reduced by 40 percent due to the worst drought in 20 years,” said a joint news release issued by commissions.
“Success in 2022 depends on having critical crop inputs delivered to the farm before spring seeding begins,” the release added.
“A CP rail disruption is expected to result in late delivery of crop inputs, preventing the 2022 crop of reaching its full potential before it is planted.”
Alberta’s wheat and barley commissions said they respect the process of collective bargaining but any disruption in rail service would cause a massive system backlog and economic losses for farmers, rural economies and the Canadian economy at large.
The threat of a strike at CP has been looming since the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) announced earlier this month that its members had voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action if a collective agreement cannot be reached.
Strike action could begin shortly after midnight on March 15, the TCRC said.
Federal mediators with Canada’s Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) were expected to resume meetings today with TCRC and CP in last minute efforts to avert a work stoppage.
TCRC represents more than 3,000 locomotive engineers, conductors, trainpersons and railyard workers at CP, the country’s second largest railway carrier.
In a March 15 email to The Western Producer, CP said the company met with TCRC representatives and federal mediators “throughout the weekend in the hope of achieving a negotiated settlement and averting a work stoppage. Those negotiations are continuing (today) in Calgary.”
TCRC members have been in a position to issue a strike notice and commence a work stoppage since 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, March 13, the email added.
A potential work stoppage at CP has heightened concerns about the delivery of crop inputs, including fertilizers, which are normally in place in Western Canada by the end of March, officials with Fertilizer Canada said earlier this week.
A potential strike poses serious threats to the success of Alberta’s upcoming growing season, which is just weeks away, added Tara Sawyer, chair of Alberta Barley.
“Railways are a critical link in the supply chain as farmers rely on their service to receive crop inputs including fertilizer and crop protection products,” Sawyer said.
Canadian railways also play a critical role in transporting farmers’ grain to key markets, the Alberta commissions added.
A rail service disruption would add further stress to farmers and farm cash flows when growers most need marketing certainty, the groups said.
“Past rail strikes have resulted in devastating effects on farmers as the economic losses are often passed down the value chain and borne by us primary producers,” said Greg Sears, Alberta Wheat Commission chair.
“Additionally, a rail disruption will immediately result in backlogs that will hurt Canada’s reputation as a reliable grain supplier to our international buyers.”
A copy of the commissions’ letter to the federal labour minister can be viewed online here.
Contact brian.cross@producer.com
