CN Engineers Set to Strike

Wednesday, November 25, 2009 12:08 PM

Prince George, B.C.- Engineers with CN Rail could be on strike this weekend.

The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) has served notice to initiate strike action at Canadian National Railways effective 00:01 local time, Saturday, November 28, 2009.

The union says the decision to service strike notice came after CN notified the Union they planned to arbitrarily alter the terms and conditions of the working conditions for approximately 1700 locomotive engineers.

CN advised the TCRC that it plans to incorporate a 1.5% wage increase coupled with the requirement to have locomotive engineers work an additional 500 miles per month over the amount required by the present Collective Agreement. The Union says the change would require some of the locomotive engineers to work 7 days a week with no time off and cause layoffs within the ranks of the conductors, trainmen and yardmen.

Federal Mediators have been working with both sides since August the hope of renewing their Collective Agreement, which expired on December 31, 2008. Talks stalled late last week.

The Union has offered CN, through the mediators, to withdraw/suspend their strike notice if CN would withdraw/suspend their notice of the change to the Collective Agreement and get back to the table to negotiate.

“Canadian National Railways has forced us to service strike notice after they informed us of the unilateral change to the terms and conditions of the Collective Agreement effectively locking out our members” said Daniel J. Shewchuk President of Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), which represents CN locomotive engineers, conductors, trainmen and yardmen, “It is obvious to us that CN is counting on the Federal Government intervention to settle the issues rather exploring solutions to a negotiated agreement.”

“As advised by the company, these changes are the tip of the iceberg and we cannot sit idly by while CN simply changes the terms and conditions of the Collective Agreement. Our members deserve much better than that.” said Shewchuk.

The TCRC is also in the process of filing a complaint of bargaining in bad faith against CN.

CN is urging the TCRC to resume negotiations immediately to reach a settlement. If that is not possible, CN believes the union should agree to submit issues in dispute to binding arbitration before the Nov. 28 strike deadline.

The railway says such an approach is fully consistent with the TCRC’s agreement to binding arbitration to end its strike at VIA Rail Canada Inc. in July 2009. In that dispute, the TCRC asked for two per cent wage increases – the same as CN’s last offer to the union.

If the TCRC strikes CN, the company is committed to provide the best possible service to its customers in the circumstances.

On Nov. 23, 2009, CN notified the TCRC of its intention to implement only one work rule change to the collective agreements and increase wages by 1.5 per cent effective Nov. 28, 2009. CN says it decided to invoke these contractual changes to move the company forward after 14 months of bargaining with no resolution in sight.

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Posted on Wednesday, November 25, 2009 12:08 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Junco on November 25 2009 1:41 PM

Sock it to em.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on November 25 2009 3:53 PM

What a stupid move by CN!
They had to know that this would cause BIG trouble and obviously they do not care!
Shut 'em down and keep them down, until they holler uncle!

Posted by: RUEZ on November 25 2009 5:46 PM

"Shut 'em down and keep them down, until they holler uncle!"

This won't shut them down. Now they'll have inexperienced management running the trains. Also a strike like this affects a lot of people your comment is callous.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on November 25 2009 7:20 PM

CN is callous Ruez.
They knew that this assinine move would cause trouble but that's obviously what they wanted.
It is easy to take shots at the engineers,but this is intimidation on the part of CN.
Anyone in the same position as the engineers would do the same and rightfully so.

Posted by: Blurb on November 25 2009 7:32 PM

If this does shut them down how long will the remaining mills continue running? And who is the jack-ass at CN rail that thought this was a good idea?

Posted by: Blurb on November 25 2009 7:35 PM

If this does shut them down how long will the remaining mills continue running? And who is the jack-ass at CN rail that thought this was a good idea?

Posted by: Chester on November 25 2009 8:04 PM

So, maybe some pressure from CN customers may be appropriate. If the trains aren't running, neither is the freight.

Freight & shipping our products to market are the life blood of our province. We really can't afford to screw this up now, can we? Or, we are all hooped.

The truckers will be happy though.

Posted by: BCRacer on November 25 2009 8:23 PM

Engines won't be idling all night either...

Posted by: Old Hippy on November 25 2009 8:30 PM

It would appear that CN has taken a labour relations course from the BC Liberals.

Posted by: coastb on November 25 2009 8:33 PM

That jack-ass is CEO E.Hunter Harrison.His contract with CN expires Dec 31st this year.The reason he did this was to force the engineman to strike before parliment goes on Christmas break on Dec 11th.By starting the strike before parliments break, CN will pressure the government to force an inferior non-negotiated contract on the engineman.Claiming that during this recession Canada cannot afford to let this strike continue for more than a few days.Once the strike begins CN will stop servicing the grain customers on the prairies, this will force the government to act quickly.
This was the same tactic used by CN during the conductors strike two years ago.It completely disables the workers ability to negotiate a contract.As soon as the workers withhold their services(the only negotiating tool they have)the government steps in and forces a contract on the workers.
It should be mentioned that CN made over two billion in profits last year.CEO E.Hunter Harrison makes over five-hundred times what the average CN employee makes.

Posted by: RUEZ on November 25 2009 8:58 PM

I guess the millions of people on EI or welfare will be happy to know the engineers will not allow CN to force a raise on them.

Posted by: Junco on November 26 2009 1:43 PM

Sometimes you have to take a stand. If you don't, bullies like hunter Harrison will not only walk all over you, but wipe his feet and crap on you. The CN "forced" raise will not only send more to the EI and welfare roles but also make the railways less safe with overworked engineers in the cars.

"The Union says the change would require some of the locomotive engineers to work 7 days a week with no time off and cause layoffs within the ranks of the conductors, trainmen and yardmen".

If people don't rise to the occasion, before long we'll all be working for Mcdonalds wages. This constant chipping away at collective agreements and the denigration of corporate workers just precedes a greater slide. Bend over now and then perhaps the next contract will see a 3% decrease in wages.If Hunter Harrison and his ilk have their way they'll decimate the existing workforce and dictate to the ones left behind. Fight now or go gently into the night. American interests win again. Servitude and gruel for the Canadians. Thanks again Campbell.