[300517] CN Rail Workers Issue Strike Notice And Could Take Action on Tuesday

THE Canadian National Railway Company (CN Rail) has been given a 72-hour strike notice by the union representing rail workers in Canada, which means conductors across the country could be off the job starting Tuesday (Wednesday HK time).

Last Friday, Teamsters Rail Conference, which represents around 3,000 conductors, yardmen and trainmen with CN Rail, said union members handed the bargaining committee a 98 per cent strike mandate.

The next day the union issued an update, saying the company gave notice it was changing the terms and conditions of their collective agreement, cbcnews of Saskatchewan reported.

The union says the changes would include a two per cent wage increase and give the company the power to implement material changes, such as terminal closures, mandatory relocations and home terminal abolishment, with "little to no ability for the union to negotiate any protections for the members."

The job action is set to begin May 30 at 4 am. Members have been without a contract since July 2016.

"Given the blatant provocation by the company, and potential irreparable harm that may be caused by the company's changes, the union is left with no choice but to serve the company with 72 hours notice," the notice to the company reads.

Executive vice-president and chief operating officer of CN, Mike Cory, said: "We continue to negotiate in good faith with the assistance of a federally-appointed mediator in order to reach a fair agreement before the strike deadline. We are also offering to resolve our differences through binding arbitration with a neutral arbitrator. We remain optimistic that we can reach an agreement without a labour disruption."

In a statement, the railway company said CN is a true backbone of the economy, transporting more than CAD250 billion (US$186 billion) worth of goods annually for a wide range of business sectors, ranging from resource products to manufactured products to consumer goods, across a rail network spanning Canada and mid-America.

Source : HKSG.