A delayed railway strike seems nearly a certainty now, after the Canada Industry Relations Board (CIRB) cleared the public safety assessment hurdle that had paused the strike threat.
Now, if members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference and CN and CKCP railways don’t come to an agreement before August 22, the railways have announced they’ll lockout employees.
Kyle Larkin, executive director of Grain Growers of Canada, says that a dual railway strike has the potential to be devastating, not just for the agriculture industry and farmers, but for every Canadian. A billion dollars in goods move by rail every single day in Canada; 94 per cent of all grain moves by rail at some point.
The looming dual rail strike is avoidable, Larkin says, if parties could come to an agreement; however, it appears each party is stuck in their positions (perhaps surprisingly it’s not wages as the first dispute point).
Larkin says that in discussion with government following the CIRB ruling late last week, it’s clear that there are three options for ending a strike or lockout, each with a varying degree of potential success.
He says that back to work legislation, while possible, is unlikely to pass in the house; binding arbitration (where a third party is appointed and a decision made for them) is an option, but there is also the use of “maintenance of activities” designation, like we see with some port movement being required even during a strike.
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