B.C. premier urges rail companies, union to hammer out a deal to avoid disruptions

With uncertainty looming around the functioning of Canada’s railway system, B.C. Premier David Eby is urging both sides to come together to find a solution before a strike or lockout.

The clock is ticking for the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and Canadian National Railway Co. (CN Rail) to come to a deal.

The union said over the weekend that its workers will walk off the job as of 12:01 a.m. Eastern time Thursday if no last-minute agreement is reached. Shortly after, CN Rail issued a notice of its own, saying it intends to lock workers out at that same time unless an agreement or binding arbitration is achieved.

When asked on Tuesday about the potential impact of disruptions to the rail system in B.C., Eby stressed people are currently facing challenging times.

“There’s no question that across the province and across the country, lots of families are in a very fragile state when it comes to the costs that they have to bear in relation to basics, like food,” he said at an unrelated news conference Tuesday morning.

He said the Bank of Canada’s decision “to ratchet up interest rates at a rate unseen in a generation” has also put strain on businesses, noting “any additional costs could potentially close their doors.”

“There are a huge number of jobs that are dependent on a functioning railway and port system and a functioning transportation system across the country. So it’s hard to overstate the urgency of this matter,” Eby explained.

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“I know that the workers on the railways need to look after their families, need to make sure that they’re able to keep up with the costs that they’re facing to support their own families, and that the railways that have done very well, need to ensure that they’re treating those workers with respect. And I also know that for both sides, both the companies and for the workers, the best resolution of this is going to come from sitting down at the table and working it out, something that is not currently happening, and needs to happen.”

Both CPKC and CN Rail have been halting shipments in preparation for potential work stoppages by a combined 9,300 workers at the two railways.

On Thursday, federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon rejected a request from CN to impose binding arbitration, saying he wants the company to bargain in good faith.

However, Eby says “the federal government has responsibility here.”

“I encourge them — and any support that we can give in encouraging the parties to sit down at the table to hammer this out — take the time you need and keep the railways running while you’re doing the work,” B.C.’s premier said.

“To minimize impacts on our economy, on families is of the utmost importance.”