Striking CP Rail employees have agreed to go to arbitration and return to work after a two-day work stoppage.
The Toronto Star reported Tuesday morning that over 3,000 workers, represented by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), have agreed to allow an arbitrator to find a final solution to a labour dispute that has dragged on for months. In exchange, the employees will return to work by noon Tuesday.
“The decision to agree to final and binding arbitration is not taken lightly,” said TCRC spokesman Dave Fulton in a media release. “While arbitration is not the preferred method, we were able to negotiate terms and conditions that were in the best interest of our members.”
Under arbitration, both sides are asked to present their cases to an impartial third party, who would then make a ruling. The arbitrator’s decision is final.
The workers, which include conductors, engineers, and other staff, walked off the job shortly after midnight Sunday after contract negotiations fizzled, and both sides blamed the other for the labour impasse.
“CP is pleased to have reached agreement with the TCRC Negotiating Committee to enter into binding arbitration and end this work stoppage,” said CP President and CEO Keith Creel. “This agreement enables us to return to work effective noon Tuesday local time to resume our essential services for our customers and the North American supply chain.”
CP and the union had both been working with federal mediators to bring the dispute to a close. Concerns over the work stoppage affecting an already fragile supply chain were raised, with several groups — including the Canadian Federation of Agriculture — calling on the federal government to intervene.
