NDP labour critic Alexandre Boulerice will give his party’s views on the government’s threat of back-to-work legislation for CP Rail workers, prior to a bill being introduced in the House this afternoon.
Boulerice will speak to reporters at 1:30 p.m. ET. CBCNews.ca will carry the news conference live.
Boulerice told The Canadian Press yesterday that his party is opposed to forcing CP Rail employees back to work, arguing it amounts to removing their right to strike. The strike began on Sunday.
NDP labour critic Alexandre Boulerice will give his party’s views on planned CP Rail back-to-work legislation. He will speak to reporters at 1:30 p.m. ET. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)
The union, which represents more than 3,000 workers, said striking workers want management to agree to measures to counter on-the-job fatigue.
Labour Minister Kellie Leitch urged the union, the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, to end the strike as the Conservatives prepared to table back-to-work legislation.
“We know that this strike at CP [Rail] will have an enormous impact on the Canadian economy in a time of global economic uncertainty. This will cost Canada approximately $205 million per week,” Leitch said in a statement Monday morning.
“If the parties cannot reach an agreement, or if the union does not agree to voluntary arbitration, the government will take action to protect Canada’s economy and help keep it strong.”
Teamsters members in Thunder Bay bundled up for their first day of picketing against Canadian Pacific Railway.
Leitch will speak to reporters at 3:30 p.m. ET, just after the bill is tabled in the House of Commons.
The legislation can be pulled at any time if the two sides manage to reach an agreement before Parliament passes it, or if the government believes a deal is imminent.
The strike began after contract talks failed to reach an agreement before a midnight Saturday night deadline.
In a statement issued Sunday morning, CP Rail said it would use management personnel to operate a reduced freight service on its Canadian network.
