Railway workers warn 'work stoppage looms' after CN, CPKC seek conciliation

The union representing more than 9,000 workers at Canada's two biggest railways says public safety is at stake as contract negotiations ground to a halt this month, with a potential strike on the horizon.

Teamsters Canada president Francois Laporte said demands by Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. are "non-negotiable."

"CN and CPKC aim to eliminate all safety-critical rest provisions from our collective agreements. These provisions are necessary to combat crew fatigue and ensure public safety," he said in a press release on Monday.

"We want to reach a negotiated settlement, but their demands are non-starters for the teamsters."

As a result, a "work stoppage looms," the union said...

This was excerpted from the 19 February 2024 edition of CBC News.