SASKATOON – Shippers who use CN Rail might consider looking for alternative transportation, says a union official.
Contract talks broke off Sept. 23 between the railway and the Canadian Council of Railway Operating Unions, which represents engineers, brakemen and conductors.
Depending on how the federal government deals with the situation, the two sides could soon be in a legal strike/lockout position.
Union negotiator Larry Olson said last week that while he hopes labor minister Lloyd Axworthy orders the two sides to continue talking with the assistance of a conciliation board or commissioner, it will be difficult to reach a settlement.
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“CN has far too many far-reaching demands on the table to get a result,” he said in an interview from Ottawa.
The railway must realize that workers will never agree to give up benefits that were negotiated just two years ago, he said.
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“Shippers who ship through CN will have to be looking around,” he said.
CN spokesperson Ed Pawlusiak said progress in negotiations has been slow.
“A little bit happens here and a little bit happens there, but there’s no doubt the main issues are still contentious,” he said.
Those issues include job security, wages and what the company calls “flexibility.”
A number of unions are in varying stages of contract negotiations with both national railways. Some are still in direct negotiation, some are in conciliation and some, like the CCROU, have been through conciliation. No new contracts have been signed.
The CCROU negotiates on behalf of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and the United Transportation Union. Other negotiating groups include the Canadian Auto Workers and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees.
All sides agree these are probably the most difficult negotiations they’ve ever been involved in. Both railways, especially CN, are in the midst of major cutbacks and operational changes and CP Rail has offered to buy out CN’s operations in Eastern Canada.
“It’s really got people in a depressed mood to say the least, ” said Olson.
As for CP Rail, negotiations will resume at the end of October, Olson said, adding he’s “hopeful” a new contract can be worked out: “They are somewhat the same issues, but CP has moved along somewhat better than CN has.”
Wayne Wright of Saskatoon, who represents CN’s locomotive engineers in Western Canada, said the rail companies are attempting to change their operations to a degree never before undertaken in the history of Canadian railroading. He said the unions are committed not only to protecting their members’ interests, but also to ensuring the safety of the public by resisting demands for increased hours of work.
