35 replies to this topic

[CNJRoss]

Reuters, 8/18/24

 

Canada-wide freight rail stoppage looms this week as two firms issue lockout notices

 

Summary

• CN, CPKC plan to lockout workers from Thursday midnight
• Teamsters union says its workers would be on strike
• Government prefers not to intervene

OTTAWA, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Canada's freight rail network could come to a grinding halt this week, inflicting a huge economic toll after the country's two largest railroad operators on Sunday issued lockout notices to the Teamsters union that represents nearly 10,000 workers.

Failing last-minute deals, both Canadian National Railway (CNR.TO), opens new tab (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) (CP.TO), opens new tab plan to lock out workers from the early hours of Thursday.

It marks the first time that the country has faced a simultaneous labor stoppage at the railroad firms as they normally negotiate their labor agreements in alternate years.

 

Continue here. 

[CNJRoss]

Reuters, 8/16/24

 

Norfolk Southern closes intermodal facility ingates after embargoes placed by Canadian rails

 

Aug 16 (Reuters) - U.S.-based Norfolk Southern (NSC.N), opens new tab said on Friday it is closing all intermodal facility ingates to Canadian National Railway (CNR.TO), opens new tab with immediate effect following an embargo imposed by the Canadian railroad on all of its intermodal shipments.

Both Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CP.TO), opens new tab have issued embargoes on certain shipments in advance to a potential strike from the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference Union that could begin as early as Aug. 22.

 

 

Continue here.  

[KevinKorell]

Related thread:       CPKC, CN potential strike impact on commuter rail

[CNJRoss]

National Post, Toronto, Ontario, Canade  8/19/24

 

Liberals not intervening in rail strike that could grind economy to a halt

 

More than $1 billion a day in goods moves through Canada by rail

 

 

OTTAWA – The Liberal government wants workers and railroad companies to work out their dispute at the bargaining table, as the clock ticks closer to an economically crippling work stoppage.

 

SNIP

 

“These collective bargaining negotiations belong to CN Rail, CPKC and TCRC workers alone, but their effects will be borne by all Canadians. The parties must do the hard work necessary to reach agreements at the bargaining table and prevent a full work stoppage,” he said. “Canadians expect the parties’ efforts to be equal to the trust conferred on them.”

 

 

More here.  

[CNJRoss]

Reuters, 8/19/24

 

Canada tells rail companies, union to work harder to avert crippling stoppage

 

OTTAWA, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Canada's labor minister will meet with the country's two main railway companies and the Teamsters union in Montreal on Tuesday and Calgary on Wednesday to try to avert a crippling rail transport stoppage.

 

Unless labour agreements are reached, both Canadian National Railway (CNR.TO), opens new tab and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CP.TO), opens new tab will shut all freight rail services in Canada at the same time early on Thursday for the first time in history.

Continue here.  

[CNJRoss]

Reuters, 8/20/24

 

Union Pacific warns of 'devastating consequences' from Canada rail strike

 

Aug 20 (Reuters) - U.S. railroad operator Union Pacific has warned that a potential rail strike in Canada will have "devastating consequences" on the North American economy.

 

More than 2,500 Union Pacific cars per day would not move across the border, CEO Jim Vena said in a letter to Canadian Labor Minister Steve MacKinnon on late Monday.

 

"Some of these impacts have already begun," Vena said.

 

 

Continue here.  

[CNJRoss]

Reuters, 8/20/24

Canada rail stoppage poised to disrupt North American agriculture

 

Summary

• Canadian rail stoppage set for Thursday without agreement
• Stoppage would halt US spring wheat shipments to west coast
• Shipments of Canadian fertilizer, crops would also suffer
• Fertilizer sector would lose C$55-C$63 million per day -group
• Canada is world's top exporter of canola, potash fertilizer

CHICAGO/OTTAWA, Aug 20 (Reuters) - A looming stoppage of freight railway operations across Canada would disrupt North America's agricultural supply chain, snarling shipments of everything from wheat to fertilizer and meat.

 

 

Continue here. 

[CNJRoss]

Reuters, 8/21/24

 

Explainer: Why a Canadian freight rail halt would roil North American supply chains

 

OTTAWA, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Canada's two main freight rail companies are set to lock out around 10,000 of their Canadian unionized workers on Thursday at 12:01 a.m. ET (0401 GMT), starting an unprecedented simultaneous work stoppage that would grind almost all railway freight movement in the country to a halt.

 

SNIP

 

HOW WOULD A CANADIAN RAIL STOPPAGE AFFECT THE UNITED STATES?

 

Around a third of the traffic moved by the two Canadian rail companies crosses the border with the United States.

 

Many U.S. companies and producers, especially those in the Midwest, use Canadian ports for imports and exports, as Montreal can be faster for shipments to and from Europe, while Vancouver can be faster for ocean service to and from Asia.

 

 

More here. 

[CNJRoss]

Reuters, 8/21/24

 

Canadian rail stoppage set to squeeze North American industries

 

Aug 21 (Reuters) - Canada's freight rail transport could come to a grinding halt as the country's two biggest railroad operators plan an unprecedented, simultaneous work stoppage following deadlocked talks over labor contracts.

 

SNIP

 

Canada, the world's second-largest country by area, relies heavily on rails to transport grain, automobiles, potash, coal and other goods. The railways transport about C$380 billion ($277 billion) worth of goods and commodities annually, and the impact of the rail stoppage is expected to be felt across North America.

 

Rating agency Moody's estimates the simultaneous stoppage could cost the Canadian economy C$341 million per day.

 

 

More here.  

[CNJRoss]

Associated Press, 8/21/24

Canada’s two major freight railroads may stop Thursday if contract dispute isn’t resolved

 

TORONTO (AP) — Canada’s two major freight railroads could halt their trains Thursday if they can’t agree to renewed contracts with the union representing their engineers, conductors and dispatchers. Canada’s government is watching closely and may intervene to prevent widespread damage to the economy.

 

Both Canadian National and CPKC have been gradually shutting down since last week ahead of the contract deadline of 12:01 a.m. Eastern Thursday, and all traffic will stop before then if this isn’t resolved. Shipments of hazardous chemicals and perishable goods were the first to stop, so they wouldn’t be stranded somewhere on the tracks.  

 

SNIP

 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been reluctant to force both sides into arbitration because he doesn’t want to offend the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference and other unions, but he urged both sides to reach a deal Wednesday because of the tremendous economic damage that would follow a full shutdown.

 

More here.