CP Rail, TCRC fail to reach agreement

Canadian Pacific Railway (CP Rail) and Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) did not reach an agreement this weekend, and as a result, the line is seeing a work stoppage. 

While TCRC announced CP Rail initiated a lockout, CP Rail says that “completely misrepresented the truth,” and the work stoppage was initiated by the TCRC.

Canadian beef producers call for resolution prior to work stoppage at CP Rail to avoid feed shortage emergency

“We are very disappointed with this turn of events,” said Dave Fulton, TCRC spokesperson, in a release on March 19. “Canadian Pacific management must be taken to task for this situation. They set the deadline for a lockout to happen tonight, when we were willing to pursue negotiations. Even more so, they then moved the goalpost when it came time to discuss the terms of final and binding arbitration.”

Producers concerned over access to feed with potential rail work stoppage

“We are deeply disappointed that, in the final hours before a legal strike or lockout was to potentially occur, the TCRC Negotiating Committee failed to respond to the company’s latest offer that was presented to them by the federal mediators,” said Keith Creel, CP President and Chief Executive Officer, in a release published March 20. “Instead, the TCRC opted to withdraw their services before the deadline for a strike or lockout could legally take place. The TCRC is well aware of the damage this reckless action will cause to the Canadian supply chain.”

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Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) urges beef producers to contact their Members of Parliament to voice their concerns over this stoppage, and push for an immediate solution.

We have communicated with both negotiating parties and Government representatives the absolute need to have trains continue moving otherwise we will have an animal care emergency on our hands,” said Bob Lowe, @CdnCattlemen President. Read statement here: https://t.co/YTIhHp6LZH

— Canadian Cattle Association (@CanCattle) March 18, 2022

“If a solution isn’t reached, both parties must be prepared to move directly to binding arbitration to avoid a stoppage,” said Mark Lyseng, ABP Government Relations and Policy Lead. “Or the Canadian government needs to intervene by declaring rail services essential and invoking back to work legislation.”

In Alberta alone, nine to 10 trains of grain per week are required to feed cattle, and over 1,000 trucks would be needed to replace the volume of grain brought by CP trains.