Just a few hours after a massive lockout was enforced by the two main Canadian rail freight operators, Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon decided to get involved and end it. At his request, the lockout has been lifted, and negotiations between the parties involved will now be arbitrated by the Canada Industrial Relations Board. However, the resumption of operations remains a question mark, as workers are going to continue their strategy of picket lines.

The companies involved in the negotiations are Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), which have been in talks with trade union Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) for a new collective agreement. CPKC and CN welcomed the Ministerial decision to forcefully halt the lockout and implement binding arbitration, as they were the ones requesting it.

On the other hand, TCRC called it “shameful”, accusing the two companies of taking the country hostage and manipulating the government. Despite the end of the lockout, “picket lines remain in place”, said TCRC, making it unclear whether or not operations could actually restart soon. “​​By resorting to binding arbitration, the government has allowed CN and CPKC to sidestep a union determined to protect rail safety”, the union added.

What happened?

CPKC and CN were both in talks with TCRC, which covers over 10,000 rail workers in Canada, for a new collective bargaining agreement. Offers have been presented and rejected since the beginning of the year, with an incessant back and forth that climaxed in the lockout enforced by CN and CPKC on Thursday 22 August. Further developments are expected later today, with a new case management conference scheduled for 10 am ET (4 pm CET) “to further hear submissions by the parties”, as CPKC stated.