The union that represents more than 9,000 workers at Canada’s two largest rail companies says public safety is at stake as collective negotiations are currently stalled and a potential strike looms.
On Friday, Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) asked the federal Minister of Labor to appoint a conciliator in negotiations for the renewal of collective agreements for conductors, engineers and workers marshalling yard.
The notice of dispute launches the legal process towards a possible strike or possible lockout, which could occur from 81 days after the appointment of the federal conciliators, i.e. early May 2024.
According to the national president of Teamsters Canada, François Laporte, the two railway companies are considering eliminating key rest provisions from employment contracts, which could increase crew fatigue and endanger public safety.
We want to avoid a labor dispute, but the safety of our members and the public is non-negotiable, he said in a press release.
CN reports that recent regulatory changes have made it more difficult to recruit crew and required a modernization of the compensation model.
The CPKC says it has been negotiating in good faith since September and has proposed pay increases and greater schedule predictability, but the positions of the employer and union remain irreconcilable.
Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern completed their agreement to become Canadian Pacific Kansas City last year.
Federal conciliators participated in the development of nine of the ten collective agreements concluded since 1993 between Canadian Pacific and train and yard workers represented by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, the company said.
Other improvements sought
Fatigue management remains a safety concern in the rail freight sector and has been on the Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s watch list since 2016.
New rules came into force in May 2023, capping the maximum shift length of workers in the freight transport sector to 12 hours, up from 16. They also increased the minimum rest period between shifts at 10 a.m. at home and 12 a.m. outside the home, compared to 6 and 8 hours respectively previously.
In June, a Federal Court judge recognized the Canadian Pacific in contempt of court (New window) for employees who worked too long hours in 2018 and 2019. The company promised to appeal.
Current collective agreements go beyond what the regulations require in terms of rest, explains Christopher Monette, spokesperson for Teamsters Canada.
For example, engineers, who operate the train, and conductors, who oversee schedules and communications, can limit their shift to 10 hours rather than the 12-hour cap stipulated in federal rules.
We are filling the gaps in the regulations that we believe exist and we are seeking to improve them in the interest of our members and the public, said Mr. Monette in a telephone interview.
The union hopes for further improvements to existing rest rules, he added.
In March 2022, Canadian Pacific locked out its workers for two days over a dispute over wages, benefits and pensions, before both sides agreed to mandatory arbitration .
In November 2019, a rail strike gripped the country for eight days until CN and 3,000 railroad workers reached a tentative agreement, ending a labor dispute that disrupted shipments, caused layoffs and disrupted work. industries across the country.
2024-02-19 19:52:23
#Request #conciliation #work #stoppage #sight #CPKC #railway #workers
