Provinces raise alarms over CN Rail strike | Power & Politics

Alberta and Saskatchewan are calling on the federal government to end a strike of roughly 3,200 CN rail workers, over fears the labour disruption will cause trouble getting grain shipments to market.

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[jennp]

Instead of demanding the government to demand conductors, trainpersons, and yardpersons back to work, how about they lobby to the company to bargain fairly.

[cluelessclashkings]

So just some weird food for thought. Why are all these politicians blaming the union for the strike??? The union is striking because the company refuses to make any concessions while demanding a reduction in trainpersons' ability to manage their rest and off-duty time in a way that they are actually fit to work. Additionally, the company is attempting to put a cap on medications for employees and their families, and they are attempting to take away certain rights while on-duty. Again, without ANY concessions.

The sticking points of this strike don't have anything to do with wages.

Just some food for thought.

[sanketkotian]

I worked for CN 5 Years worse company i worked for poor management its all about share holders and making money for them safety is out of the window the day you qualify from CN Campus

[bulkley]

How bad of a human is the Alberta minister. Money before human life?

[duanedawson]

I notice that it is the CN workers who are being blamed. Why is it that Alberta and Saskatchewan politicians are not pointing fingers at the employer (CN Rail)? It the workers' complaints are valid, then they need to be adequately addressed. Fix the problem and the trains will run again.

[StarvingDadChange]

This is exactly why the farmers started the Canadian Wheat Board, they had their own railroad to move their products! Why hasn't any one asked Steven Harper for his comments now? Because Trudeau is a NO SHOW...

[robertjones]

Ask the same CP Rail conductors who are not on strike, if they agree with the Teamsters claim of unsafe working conditions! They will 100% validate why the CN workers are on strike! It is not about the money, but it is about the money for CN, who had a 3.8 billion dollar profit last quarter! Dig deeper into the salaries and perks of upper management of both companies. You would be astonished!

[giselebeaupre]

Shouldn't they be listening to the employees?

[bezzie]

All of a sudden the east is not is there anything els they thought they were entited too?

[seanandernacht]

Imagine what would happen if all these "back to work" politicians, corporations and pundits put this much pressure on UN to address the issue of worker safety directly rather than hating on the workers themselves

[KryptixIII]

Protests all around the world, god damn

[GMCOldsRichmond]

Money over lives. Sounds about right, disgusting.

[casnovafrankienstien]

I support the workers .not the corporations and government

[ChaosAvenger]

We struck last year! not 10 years ago!

[butch]

don't believe in pipelines, suck it up

[davidaloha]

If CN won't approve safe working conditions, and they have a monopoly on several routes in Western Canada, maybe we should split up CN Rail's Canadian assets.

[bibiburns]

Notice how Dreeshen tries to drive a wedge between the rail workers and their union but when called out by Vassy (99%+ workers voted) he runs like a scared rabbit - classic conservative BS.

[debtrunner]

Wait i thought we had a right to protest\strike in Canada how will they "make" people go back too work? does nobody remember The Asbestos Strike of 1949??


One of the longest and most violent labour conflicts in Quebec history, the 1949 Asbestos Strike paralyzed major asbestos mines in Quebec for almost five months. Journalist Gérard Pelletier is well known for his reporting on the Strike for Le Devoir. - Historica Canada

[hyun]

Back to work legislation immediately plus safety inspectors hired by federal government immediately if safety standards being breached company pays if not union pays binding aribitration based on ceo salary increase over last five years

[timcoolican]

I don't believe Trudeau will return to parliament early, especially if it does not benefit him. In my opinion, and according to the last 4 years, the fact that this strike affects the prairie provinces will be of no consequence to the liberal government. Not to belittle the concerns of CN workers, but their livelihood is connected to the livelihood of producers from the prairies. If CN workers are striking because of safety issues, and not money, this leads me to believe the concerns are real and potentially dangerous. I think the timing of the strike was strategic, as it will garner much more exposure, because of the election, the time frames involved for the prairies, and the return to parliament. So while I support the CN workers, in this strike, I also don't want further adversity thrust onto the prairie provinces. Why wasn't Occupation Health and Safety consulted? If the CN employees have genuine concerns, regarding safety, why isn't OH&S at the forefront of this?