The latest salvo in the ongoing negotiations between CP Rail and its unionized workers has come today (March 17) as the company has issued lock out notice.
In a news release, CP Rail has stated it has issued 72-hour notice to the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC)-Train & Engine of its plan to lock-out employees at Sunday, March 20 if a there is no negotiated settlement nor agreement to binding arbitration.
TCRC has issued its own press release stating that it was "well known" that CP rail would "force a work stoppage."
CP Rail, meantime, notes that negotiations have been ongoing since September and has tabled an offer that addressed a total of 26 outstanding issues between the parties, including "an offer to resolve the TCRC’s key issues of wages, benefits and pensions through final and binding arbitration."
Meanwhile, there are concerns that Port Coquitlam's massive rail yard could be quiet if ongoing negotiations fail between CP Rail, federal mediators and members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC).
Among the issues are wages, benefits and pensions.
According to the TCRC, 96.7 per cent of 3,062 members recently voted in favour of strike action, if necessary.
The union has not yet given the required 72 hours notice; however, since 12:01 a.m. on Sunday (March 13), the TCRC has been, and remains, in a position to issue strike notice and commence a work stoppage, according to CP Rail.
"CP has been meeting with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) and federal mediators throughout the weekend in the hope of achieving a negotiated settlement and averting a work stoppage."
"Those negotiations are continuing in Calgary," stated spokesperson Salem Woodrow in an email to the Tri-City News.
Concerns about ongoing supply chain issues have been raised in recent media reports, as the strike could encompass more than 3,000 workers, including engineers, conductors and yard workers.
Reuters has reported that CP carries U.S. grain to Pacific Northwest export terminals, and moves potash fertilizer into the United States, needed for the spring planting season.
CP Rail has a long history in Port Coquitlam and operates a rail yard in the centre of the city — the biggest rail yard in western Canada.
