Canada’s Labour Minister, Kellie Leitch, said late this afternoon, she will introduce back-to-work legislation if CN Rail workers and management can not come to an agreement before February 8th.
This followed the announcement earlier in the day by the union representing the workers, that they would be in a strike position Saturday at midnight, if an agreement is not reached.
Teamsters Canada Rail Conference–Conductors, Trainpersons and Yardpersons (TCRC-CTY) represents approximately 3,000 CN train and yard operations employees. Apparently fatigue and safety concerns were the reason the tentative agreement, reached back in October, was not ratified.
Labor Minister Kelly Leitch said a strike would cost the Canadian economy $450 million a week, something Canada can’t afford in the current mild economic recovery.
Saskatchewan premier, Brad Wall, is demanding the federal government act, as his province is already facing challenges getting a bumper wheat crop to market.
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