Rail workers pushed back hard Friday against the federal government害羞草研究所檚 move to get them back on the job, with a new strike notice and a regulatory challenge making it unclear when freight traffic will fully resume.
At Canadian National Railway Co., trains began to move again Friday morning as workers started to trickle back to work 害羞草研究所� even as the Teamsters union issued a 72-hour strike notice against CN shortly before 10 a.m. EDT.
And at Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd., the union has challenged a directive for binding arbitration issued by Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to the country害羞草研究所檚 labour board.
A work stoppage at both national railways prompted MacKinnon to ask the Canada Industrial Relations Board on Thursday to use the mechanism, aimed at resolving an impasse that has halted freight shipments and snarled commuter lines across the country.
The labour board summoned the parties to a meeting Thursday night, followed by a hearing Friday morning.
The tribunal said in an email it is addressing the issue 害羞草研究所渨ith utmost urgency.害羞草研究所� A decision is expected later in the day.
Pickets continue at the head office of CPKC in Calgary and those on the line received a visit from Francois Laporte, the national president of Teamsters Canada Friday morning.
Laporte and Sean O害羞草研究所橞rien, the general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters arrived in a black semi truck, its horns blaring, with Teamsters written on the side.
O害羞草研究所橞rien called the lockouts by both rail companies 害羞草研究所渁 disgrace.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭his is not over. I害羞草研究所檓 telling you this is not over. The struggle continues,害羞草研究所� Laporte said to about 70 people who were on hand.
Before making the binding arbitration directive, the labour minister had faced pressure to intervene from business groups, which warned of the economic consequences of the work stoppage and urged Ottawa to break the deadlock and kick-start freight service.
At a Thursday news conference, MacKinnon said the government is 害羞草研究所渃ommitted totally to collective bargaining,害羞草研究所� but said the impacts of the shutdown are being felt by all Canadians.
The government gave the negotiations 害羞草研究所渆very possible opportunity to succeed,害羞草研究所� he said.
Each side had accused the other of failing to negotiate seriously, with wages and scheduling as key sticking points. The union had said it rejected binding arbitration, framing Ottawa害羞草研究所檚 decision as a move to 害羞草研究所渟idestep害羞草研究所� it.
害羞草研究所淒espite claiming to value and honour the collective bargaining process, the federal government quickly used its authority to suspend it, mere hours after an employer-imposed work stoppage,害羞草研究所� said Paul Boucher, president of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, in a release Thursday evening.
The union has said both companies are pushing to weaken protections around rest periods and scheduling. It says CN also seeks a scheme that would see some employees move to far-flung locations for several months at a time to fill labour gaps.
CN pushed back on Friday, saying the Teamsters are 害羞草研究所渉olding Canada hostage to their demands.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淐N is focused on recovery in order to resume powering the economy. The Teamsters are focused on returning to the pickets and shutting everything down again,害羞草研究所� said spokesman Jonathan Abecassis in a phone interview.
In Calgary, Laporte said he understood that the Teamsters at CN gave 72 hours strike notice this morning and as far as he害羞草研究所檚 concerned the dispute will continue.
害羞草研究所淥ur people are still on strike. We害羞草研究所檙e still on the streets so our operation will not resume. It is not going to be business as usual for both companies.害羞草研究所�
O害羞草研究所橞rien said the International Teamsters fully support their Canadian colleagues.
害羞草研究所淐orporate greed is running rampant,害羞草研究所� he told reporters at a picket outside CPKC headquarters in Calgary on Friday morning. 害羞草研究所淩eward these workers with what they have earned. But also don害羞草研究所檛 try to diminish safety.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淲hat害羞草研究所檚 important here is not to lose sight of the fact of who caused this problem right now. They chose to lock these workers out,害羞草研究所� O害羞草研究所橞rien said.
害羞草研究所淲e got your backs 100 per cent.害羞草研究所�
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