CN Executive Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer Jean-Jacques Ruest has recently communicated the latest update with regards to the labour negotiations between CN and TCRC. Below is the statement dated:
May 26 2017 Update:
CN is continuing negotiations today with the TCRC-CTY assisted by mediators from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services. We are also taking additional reasonable steps to avoid a disruption by offering binding arbitration with a neutral arbitrator chosen by the parties or appointed by the Federal Government.
The TCRC-CTY membership indicated it has received a strike mandate of 98% but has stated that they are still attempting to achieve a satisfactory agreement without a work stoppage. As noted in previous communications, announcing a strike mandate from its membership, is a normal part of the collective bargaining process. The union cannot initiate legal strike action unless 72 hour’s advance notice is given to the Company.
CN remains optimistic that a mutually satisfactory collective agreement can be reached without a labour disruption. Nonetheless, if the union does provide a 72 hour strike notice, the TCRC will be in a legal strike position as of 00:01 EDT on Tuesday May 30, 2017.
May 25 2017 Update:
CN is maintaining a constructive and ongoing dialogue with the Teamster’s Canada Rail Conference, the union representing CN’s conductors in Canada. We have participated in positive negotiations over the last two days. Today we have been joined by Mr. Peter Simpson, the head of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS).
We expect the TCRC may announce the results of a strike vote in the next few days. It should be noted that a union seeking a strike mandate from its membership is a normal part of the bargaining process. The union cannot initiate strike action unless 72 hour’s advance notice is given to the Company. Based on our discussions to date, CN is optimistic that the company and union still have time to reach a mutually satisfactory collective agreement without a labour disruption. Nonetheless, if the union does provide a 72 hour notice, the TCRC will be in a legal strike position as of 00:01 hours on Tuesday May 30, 2017.
This time around replacing 3000 conductors is an enormous undertaking. With the demographic retirement shift in the last few years, if there were to be a work stoppage, we would not have enough qualified non-union personnel to run the Canadian network on our railroad. The Canadian rail operation would stop while the US network and the non rail-terminal operations (Intermodal, Autoport, Transload) would continue with the inventory they would have on hand.
Expeditors Canada offices covering Vancouver, Halifax and Montreal points of entry/exit are fully equipped to offer transload options to avoid rail service within Canada and US inland points.
Expeditors will continue to monitor the situation and will provide updates as they occur.
