Supply Chain & Transport

On August 29, the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) filed legal appeals of the Minister of Labour’s directives and the ruling by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to end the work stoppage and mandate binding arbitration.

Following the rail stoppage last week, trains are now moving on both the Canadian National Railway (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway (CPKC). Representatives from CN and CPKC indicated at an industry meeting today that all embargos have been lifted, however it will take a few weeks before backlogs are sorted and service returns to normal levels.

On Saturday August 24, the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) ordered CN and CPKC workers back to work and imposes binding arbitration. 

Following yesterday’s announcement by the Minister of Labour indicating that he was invoking section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, the Canadian National Railway (CN) announced that it was ending their lockout effective 6:00 pm (EDT) on August 22.

On Thursday afternoon, the Minister of Labour invoked Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code which allows the government to refer a labour dispute to the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to find a solution.

With the imminent simultaneous disruption of Canada’s two national rail carriers, CN and CPKC, there will be significant impacts on the feed industry and the livestock sector.

Take action and join the campaign initiated by the agriculture sector to push the government to prevent this rail stoppage. It takes less than 30 seconds to express your support.

Both the Canadian National Railway (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway (CPKC) have issued the mandatory 72-hour lockout notice, meaning the national railways will halt service at 00:01 am on August 22. Understanding that a work stoppage on Canada’s Class 1 railways would have serious impacts on the feed industry and the livestock sector, ANAC has been active since the spring in requesting Government take appropriate actions to prevent a rail disruption.

Following the decision rendered by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) that rail is not an essential service, both Canadian National Railway (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway (CPKC) have expressed an intent to lockout workers at 00:01 am on August 22 if an agreement with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) is not reached.