Updated Story 2:15 PM
The federal government has forced the ongoing labour dispute between some 93 hundred workers and CN and CPKC to arbitration.
Earlier today (Thursday), Federal Minister of Labour Steve Mackinnon announced that the two sides will be forced to sit down to hash out their differences, as warnings from officials across the country rang out, worried that an extended strike would cripple the Canadian economy.
Despite the two sides being forced into arbitration, there are no guarantees that an agreement will be signed anytime soon. It’s believed that the work stoppage is blocking approximately $1 billion in goods from freely moving to regions across the country.
Original Story 8:07 AM
Rapid action is being urged by the Prince George Chamber of Commerce after the country’s two major rail companies locked out.
The local chamber is calling on the federal government to take immediate action to ensure the continuation of rail services. The group states the Government of Canada has a responsibility to protect the Canadian public and maintain national security, and it is time to act decisively to fulfill that obligation.
Business and industry groups are warning of an economic catastrophe, as Canada’s railways shut down.
Executive Director, Neil Godbout told Vista Radio, the longer the stoppage goes, the bigger the impact on our city.
“A lot of the shipping container traffic that comes off of those ships in Prince Rupert are actually fully sorted here in Prince George before being shipped east or south depending on where they are headed.”
“Those containers are shipped across North America – not just Canada. It’s pretty significant as we see workers on the picket lines in Prince George so it’s obviously affecting them and your families.”
Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City shut down services late last night (Wednesday), locking out more than nine-thousand members of the Teamsters Union.
The railways move about one-billion dollars worth of goods per day, and experts say there will shortly be disruptions in Canada’s supply chains for just about everything.
Under section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, the Minister of Labour can refer the dispute to the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) for binding arbitration and prohibit a strike, lockout or end any ongoing stoppage pending a resolution. Alternatively, the government can also reconvene Parliament and introduce back-to-work legislation.
The Prince George Chamber wrote to the CIRB in May, explaining how CN’s intermodal terminal in Prince George serves as an essential connection to dozens of rural and remote communities and First Nations reserves across north-central British Columbia. Furthermore, Prince George’s CN terminal is the central hub to distribute goods from the Port of Prince Rupert to markets across North America.
Earlier this month, the PG Chamber added its name to a joint letter to the Prime Minister from business groups across Canada requesting the government’s urgent intervention to
prevent a rail service disruption. The Chamber also sent a letter today to Cariboo-Prince George MP Todd Doherty and Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies MP Bob Zimmer urging them to pressure the federal government to act.
The Port of Vancouver notes that 66 per cent of its traffic is carried by rail.
In addition, the Port of Prince Rupert also issued a statement to MyPGNow.com earlier this week on the potential impacts this will have on the region.
The Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) urges CN and TCRC to continue negotiating in good faith toward an agreement. The pending labour disruption threatens the 3,300 direct full-time jobs that comprise port-related operations throughout northern BC as well as the movement of goods representing over $150 million in Canadian trade daily.
This affects the supply chains of goods that Canadians rely on every day while also impacting the thousands of workers across western Canada employed in our export industries. Canada’s trade depends on an outcome that keeps supply chains moving, and we’re hopeful that both parties can reach a timely agreement that avoids a significant disruption to rail service.
The Port of Prince Rupert has built a global reputation as a reliable North American port and a strategic gateway for trade. Maintaining the trust and confidence of shippers is critical to our competitive advantage. PRPA and its partners continue to advance an ambitious multi-billion-dollar expansion program to see new and expanded terminal and logistics capabilities and capacities at the Port of Prince Rupert, strengthening the resilience of Canada’s supply chains and export capacity to meet the future needs of Canada’s trade ambitions in the Indo-Pacific market. Our reputation for reliability is paramount.
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