The Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) recently issued a crucial ruling, ordering two major Canadian railway companies to immediately cease strike activities and resume full operations from the 26th. While this temporarily resolved the ongoing strike by thousands of railway workers, the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), representing the workers, strongly opposed the arbitration decision.
The strike began on the 22nd, with nearly 10,000 railway workers united in their first joint strike action. In response, the Canadian Ministry of Labour swiftly invoked Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, requesting the CIRB to intervene with legally binding arbitration.
However, the TCRC questioned the constitutionality of government intervention. Despite the CIRB's approval of the arbitration request, mandating workers to return to work from the 26th and allowing the railway companies to extend expired contracts until a new agreement is reached, the union expressed deep dissatisfaction.
The TCRC stated in a subsequent announcement that while it would comply with the CIRB's ruling, it planned to appeal to the courts, harshly criticizing the decision as "setting a dangerous precedent for future labor relations." Union leaders declared, "Today, the rights of Canadian workers have been significantly undermined. This sends a message to businesses nationwide that large corporations can simply cause short-term economic pressure through work stoppages, prompting the federal government to intervene and weaken unions."
Meanwhile, despite the CIRB's ruling, Canadian Pacific Railway Company (CPKC) noted that its network would take weeks to fully recover from the strike's impact and stabilize supply chains. CPKC, which had already phased out operations, anticipates a complex and time-consuming recovery process. Although the company requested workers to return on the 25th, TCRC spokespersons clarified that workers would not resume work early.
Notably, Canada, the world's second-largest country by area, heavily relies on its railway network for logistics. CN and CPKC's rail networks span the country, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and reaching into the US heartland, jointly carrying about 80% of Canada's rail freight, valued at over CAD 1 billion (approx. RMB 5.266 billion) daily. A prolonged strike would have dealt a severe blow to the Canadian and North American economies. Fortunately, with the implementation of the CIRB's arbitration decision, the risk of another strike in the short term has significantly decreased.
Post time: Aug-29-2024