Experts: Canada’s two major railways resume service as railroaders return to work
Trains began to trundle along the tracks of Canada’s two major railways on Monday after the federal labour board ended a four-day work stoppage that snarled supply chains and upended commutes. Amid a bitter labour dispute, the Canada Industrial Relations Board on Saturday ordered Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. to resume operations and 9,300 workers to return to their posts at 12:01 a.m. ahead of binding arbitration set to begin this week. The union has vowed to fight the labour board’s decision in court, framing the outcome as a win for big business. The Canadian Press
Here are some experts from McGill University who can comment on this topic:
Barry Eidlin, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology
“With its decision to order rail workers back to work pending binding arbitration, the federal government is going against its own rhetoric that ‘the best deals are those reached at the bargaining table.’ Instead, it has allowed the rail companies to bully it into giving them what they want while eroding the collective bargaining regime in Canada. Their decision sends a message to Canadian employers that, instead of negotiating with their workers, they can simply dig in their heels and wait for the government to impose a settlement. It sets a dangerous precedent that will do little to achieve the government’s ostensible goal of achieving industrial peace.”
Barry Eidlin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology. His research interests include political sociology, economic sociology, organizations and institutions, comparative historical sociology, inequality and social policy, social theory, logic of inquiry, work, labor, social movements.
Barry.eidlin [at] mcgill.ca (English, French)
John Gradek, School of Continuing Studies, McGill University
“The shutdown of the totality of Canadian freight rail services is a national disgrace which could have been avoided with focused diligence by the federal government in granting contract extensions. The request by CN and the Teamsters to extend their existing contract by one year to allow for better understanding of new crew rest and hour regulations introduced by Transport Canada in 2023 should have been viewed with the known expiry of the CPKC and teamsters contract in 2024. The impact of this work stoppage has been extremely damaging to the flow of over $1billion of trade and Canada’s steadily decreasing reputation in assuring supply network reliability and trust.”
John Gradek is a Faculty Lecturer in the School of Continuing Studies, where he coordinates the Supply Chain and Operations Management and Integrated Aviation Management programs. He has held senior roles at Air Canada in operations, marketing and planning and has worked in the development and the delivery of commercial airline management programs for the International Aviation Management Training Institute. He is a former member of the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada, having served a term from 2018-2022.
john.gradek [at] mcgill.ca (English, French)
