Safety concerns drive railway union's stance in looming CN and CPKC labor dispute
The union representing 9,300 workers at Canada's two largest railways, Canadian National Railway Co. (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. (CPKC), is warning of a looming work stoppage amid stalled contract negotiations, according to The Canadian Press.
Teamsters Canada president François Laporte has stated that CN and CPKC’s demands to eliminate all safety-critical rest provisions from their collective agreements are non-negotiable, as these provisions combat crew fatigue and ensure public safety.
“CN and CPKC aim to eliminate all safety-critical rest provisions from our collective agreements. These provisions are necessary to combat crew fatigue and ensure public safety," Laporte said in a press release.
The dispute has led to a request from CN and CPKC to the federal labour minister to appoint a conciliator for bargaining over a new collective agreement for train conductors, engineers, and yard workers. This notice initiates a potential timeline for a strike or lockout, which could happen as early as May.
CN spokesperson Jonathan Abecassis countered that recent regulatory changes to rest provisions have complicated crew scheduling.
The company's proposal, rejected by the union, includes a 40-hour work week with 10 or 12 hours of rest between shifts and consecutive days off each week, aligning with federal rules. Abecassis claims that the union's demands would strain supply chains and increase consumer costs.
Patrick Waldron, CPKC spokesperson, mentioned that the company has proposed wage increases, quality of life improvements, and predictable schedules with assigned days off. However, he notes that the parties remain far apart on key issues.
Teamsters Canada spokesperson Christopher Monette highlighted that the current collective agreements offer more rest than regulations require, stating, “We plug holes in the regulations that we believe exist and we seek to improve them to the benefit of our members and to the benefit of the public.”
The situation is critical as fatigue management remains a major safety concern in freight rail, with new rules reducing maximum shift lengths and increasing minimum rest periods implemented last year. In June, Canadian Pacific was found guilty of contempt for excessive work hours, a decision they plan to appeal.
Previously, Canadian Pacific experienced a two-day work stoppage in March 2022 over pay, benefits, and pensions, while CN faced an eight-day rail strike in November 2019 that disrupted industries nationwide.
