(Canadian Press)

By Tiffany Goodwein

CP rail work stoppage moves ahead

Mar 20, 2022 | 9:50 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB– The trains have been halted, and over 3000 workers have walked off the job as Canadian Pacific Railway and the union representing its employees failed to reach an agreement.

In a statement issued last night, the union, Teamsters Canada Rail Conference said it expressed the desire to continue bargaining but claimed it was the Canadian Pacific Railway that initiated the lockout.

“We are very disappointed with this turn of events,” said Dave Fulton, TCRC spokesperson at the bargaining table. “Canadian Pacific management must be taken to task for this situation. They set the deadline for a lockout to happen tonight, when we were willing to pursue negotiations. Even more so, they then moved the goalpost when it came time to discuss the terms of final and binding arbitration.”

Shortly after the statement was released, Canadian Pacific Railway fired back saying the work stoppage, was initiated by the union and not them.

“We are deeply disappointed that, in the final hours before a legal strike or lockout was to potentially occur, the TCRC Negotiating Committee failed to respond to the company’s latest offer that was presented to them by the federal mediators,” said Keith Creel, CP President and Chief Executive Officer. “Instead, the TCRC opted to withdraw their services before the deadline for a strike or lockout could legally take place. The TCRC is well aware of the damage this reckless action will cause to the Canadian supply chain.”

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Canadian Pacific said they are now beginning a “safe, structured shutdown” of its train operations across Canada, and they say they will work closely with their customers to wind-down Canadian operations.

With files from the Canadian Press