Paul Boucher, president of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, said the union would work with other labour groups as it mounts a legal challenge to a Saturday decision that halted work stoppages at the country's two largest railways and imposed arbitration. | Screencap via cpkcr.com

Canadian rail decision is a win for companies, union leader says

MONTREAL, Aug 25 (Reuters) - A decision obliging more than 9,000 Canadian rail workers to stay on the job is a win for the railways and could impact bargaining in other federally regulated sectors like aviation, the head of a Canadian rail workers’ union told Reuters. Paul Boucher, president of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, also said the union […] Read more

The Teamsters union filed notice that conductors, locomotive engineers and other workers at CN would strike on Monday, just days after returning to work on Friday. | Reuters photo

CN workers issue strike notice for Monday

MONTREAL/OTTAWA (Reuters) — The union representing workers at Canadian National Railway said today they would strike next week, in a fresh threat to the economy after vowing to challenge a government decision to end an unprecedented rail stoppage. The Teamsters union filed notice that conductors, locomotive engineers and other workers at CN would strike on […] Read more

"Despite the Labour Minister's referral, there is no clear indication that the CIRB will actually order an end to the labour dispute at CPKC," the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) said in a statement this morning. | CPKC photo

Teamsters issue strike notice to CN, CPKC stoppage ongoing

UPDATED: 0930 CST – August 23, 2024 – Glacier FarmMedia – The union representing Canadian National workers has issued a strike notice to the company, effective Monday. This comes after the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) said this morning that workers at Canadian National (CN) would be headed back to work today. Related stories: WP […] Read more


At 12:01 AM EDT this morning, after negotiations that began last year failed to bring about a resolution to the dispute, Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City announced at that they would lock out their employees who are members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC). The move affects roughly 9,000 employees at the two companies. | File photo

Canada’s railways grind to a halt

The lockout of rail workers by Canada’s two major railways has begun. At 12:01 AM EDT this morning, after negotiations that began last year failed to bring about a resolution to the dispute, Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City announced at that they would lock out their employees who are members of the […] Read more



Unless labour agreements are reached, both Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City will shut all freight rail services in Canada at the same time early on Thursday for the first time in history. | File photo

WP rail labour dispute coverage

Below are links to all our recent coverage of the rail stoppage that will harshly impact the ag industry. The most-recent stories will be posted at the top. Please check back often as this page will be constantly updated until this issue is resolved. Posted Wednesday September 4, 2024: Damage assessed as railways resume operations […] Read more

Unless labour agreements are reached, both Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City will shut all freight rail services in Canada at the same time early on Thursday for the first time in history. | File photo

Canada tells railways, union to work harder

OTTAWA (Reuters) — Canada’s labour minister will meet with the country’s two main railway companies and the Teamsters union in Montreal today and Calgary tomorrow to try to avert a crippling rail transport stoppage. Unless labour agreements are reached, both Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City will shut all freight rail services in […] Read more

Since the campaign began, Greg Northey of Pulse Canada has been busy galvanizing support for the effort and producer groups and grain shipping organizations from across the country have put their weight behind the campaign. | Screencap via stopthestrike.ca

Agriculture groups campaign against rail strike

Pulse Canada has organized a letter writing campaign to push the government to halt the looming labour stoppage at Canada's railways.

Glacier FarmMedia – The Stopthestrike.ca campaign was launched shortly after the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) decision on August 9 that confirmed rail transport is deemed non-essential. The website includes a clock that counts down the days, hours and minutes before the trigger is pulled on the railways promise to lock employees out if the […] Read more


Canada is the world's second-largest country by area and relies heavily on trains to transport grain, automobiles, potash, coal and other goods. | File photo

Shippers fear rail stoppage ‘catastrophe’

OTTAWA (Reuters) — North American industry groups and shippers are bracing for an unprecedented simultaneous stoppage at both of Canada’s main railways that could inflict billions of dollars’ worth of economic damage. Canada is the world’s second-largest country by area and relies heavily on trains to transport grain, automobiles, potash, coal and other goods. “It’s […] Read more