CN Rail Union Proposes Binding Arbitration To End Strike
Posted November 29, 2009 3:42 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The union representing striking CN Rail locomotive engineers is offering to submit wage issues to binding arbitration.
The Teamsters union says that would be conditional if all other outstanding issues are resolved at the bargaining table.
The union says that this morning management declined a union offer to return to the bargaining table.
It says the company was adamant that final binding arbitration on all issues is the only solution.
On Saturday, Labour Minister Rona Ambrose called on the union to accept binding arbitration in the dispute.
Some 1,700 locomotive engineers are now on the picket lines and qualified engineers from the management are attempting to keep trains running.
Talks broke down Friday.
The main issue appears to be CN’s imposition of a raised mileage cap – the number of miles an engineer is required to work per month – which the union says could result in longer shifts for its members and layoffs.
CN says it will try to keep trains running by having supervisors and managers take over the engineers’ duties during the strike.
