As work stoppage ends, what's next for CN, CPKC?

Teamsters appeal binding arbitration order Ryan Finnson of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference discusses the legal approach the union is taking against binding arbitration.

OTTAWA — Traffic at Canada's two largest railways is slated to resume today as a rail work stoppage comes to an end following a Saturday decision from the federal labour board.

Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City shut down railways last Thursday, locking out workers and disrupting freight traffic nationwide and commuter lines in the Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver areas.

The lockouts affected more than 9,000 railway workers amid an ongoing contract dispute between the two companies and the Teamsters union.

The work stoppage came to an end at 12:01 a.m. on Monday based on a decision issued on Saturday by the Canada Industrial Relations Board ordering both companies and their workers to resume operations ahead of binding arbitration.

The president of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference issued a statement Saturday protesting the CIRB's decision and vowed to appeal the ruling in court.

That same day, Calgary-based CPKC said it anticipates several weeks for the railway network to recover, and more time after that for supply chains to stabilize.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 26, 2024.