Glacier FarmMedia – Canadian National Railway says it has reached a tentative collective agreement with workers represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). Some 750 signals and communications workers at the railway had voted to strike as early as today if a deal was not reached. No details of the agreement were released. […] Read more
Tag Archives labour dispute
Global forces played big role in shaping market last year
Glacier FarmMedia – Grain and oilseed markets had their ups and downs in 2024, with wars, labour unrest, trade disputes and politics often providing more direction than the traditional supply/demand fundamentals. While the outlook is murky for 2025, expect similar outside forces to remain a feature in the year ahead. Russia/Ukraine The conflict moved through […] Read more
CN workers ratify new deal
REUTERS — Unifor said yesterday that its members at Canadian National Railway have ratified a new four-year collective agreement, averting a potential strike action. Unifor, which represents more than 3,000 members at the railroad’s Council 4000 and Local 100 committees, said the agreement includes improvements to wages and benefits as well as job protections for […] Read more
CN reaches tentative deal with Unifor workers ahead of Jan. 1 strike deadline
UPDATED – December 9, 2024 – 1350 CST – Comment from labour minister Steven MacKinnon added. Glacier FarmMedia – Canadian National Railway (CN) says it has reached a tentative four-year agreement with the union representing mechanical, clerical and intermodal workers. Employees represented by Unifor voted in late November to authorize a strike if a deal […] Read more
CN optimistic despite potential strike
Glacier FarmMedia – Canadian National Railway has been dealing with labour disputes over the past year, and another one looms. Last week, CN clerks and mechanics approved a strike mandate. According to their union, Unifor, the groups voted 97 and 96 per cent in favour of job action, respectively. They are calling for improved compensation, […] Read more
Canada moves to end disputes at ports of Vancouver and Montreal
UPDATED: November 12, 2024 – 1250 CST – includes comments from Pulse Canada and the Canadian Specials Crops Trade Association. OTTAWA, (Reuters) – Canadian Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said on Tuesday he had directed the country’s labor relations board to order an end to disputes at the ports of Vancouver and Montreal, citing the economic […] Read more
Rest rules a matter for legislation: law professor
University of Manitoba academic says fatigue management should never have been on the rail dispute bargaining table
Glacier FarmMedia – A University of Manitoba labour law professor says employee fatigue management should be the government’s purview, not an issue dealt with in labour negotiations. Scheduling and fatigue management were among the major sticking points in the recent conflict between Canada’s railways and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, the union representing the two […] Read more
Railway labour dispute raises ‘wicked’ questions
Difficult labour negotiations between the two major railways and their unionized employees have just put the country through the wringer, and tough questions must be asked: Why was the situation allowed to deteriorate to the point where almost the entire rail transportation system was shut down, albeit briefly? Is there a way to avoid messes […] Read more
Damage assessed as railways resume operations
Glacier FarmMedia – Canada narrowly averted a transportation disaster in August. Now legal experts are digesting the repercussions of the recent labour dispute at the nation’s two major railways. When the conflict between the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference union and both Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Canadian National Railway came to a head Aug. 22, […] Read more
Focus turns to improving rail
When the elephants fight, the grass suffers. — African proverb Farmers can feel like they’re a badly bashed patch of turf whenever the three elephants of the rail system — the railway companies, the unions and the government — lock tusks and fight for dominance. Related stories: WP rail labour dispute coverage Despite that feeling, […] Read more
