Customers of Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. are calling on the federal government to introduce back-to-work legislation as a work stoppage at the Calgary-based railway continues into its second day.
鈥淲e鈥檙e asking for all parties to find a very, very quick resolution,鈥� said Brian Kingston, president and chief executive of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers鈥� Association.
鈥淲e appreciate the fact that they鈥檙e back at the table today. 鈥� That said, if it becomes evident that there is simply no negotiated outcome possible, we would encourage the government to look at other options.鈥�
Approximately 3,000 conductors, engineers and train and yard workers with CP Rail were off the job over the weekend. The company and the union representing the workers, the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, both blamed each other for causing the work stoppage, though both also said they were still talking with federal mediators.
A wide range of industry groups have raised the alarm about the potential economic impacts of a CP Rail shutdown, coming at a time when many businesses are already dealing with supply chain difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme weather, and the recent blockades of border crossings by protesters.
Canada鈥檚 agriculture industry is particularly concerned. On Monday, leaders of the Canadian Cattlemen鈥檚 Association and the National Cattle Feeders鈥� Association were in Ottawa, urging the government to immediately bring an end to the work stoppage they say could devastate their industry.
鈥淚f these trains don鈥檛 run, we鈥檝e got maybe two weeks of feed left,鈥� said Cattlemen鈥檚 Association president Bob Lowe, explaining that western Canadian cattle producers have been reliant on shipments of feed by rail from the U.S. this year in the wake of last summer鈥檚 drought and resultant widespread feed shortage.
鈥淭here is no Plan B. We have no other source of feed.鈥�
鈥淲e are, in Canada, about four to six weeks from seeding season 鈥� which means that farmers may not get all the fertilizer they need,鈥� said Fertilizer Canada chief executive Karen Proud, adding that could cause food prices to spike given the war in Ukraine and the impact it鈥檚 already had on global fertilizer supplies as well as the prices of wheat and other grains.
Proud said the fertilizer industry believes it鈥檚 time to introduce back-to-work legislation.
鈥淲e certainly respect the collective bargaining process, but clearly these two groups haven鈥檛 been able to reach an agreement. And now the government needs to act immediately,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ome of our members who produce fertilizer, don鈥檛 have the storage capacity if product isn鈥檛 being shipped out on the rails, so we鈥檙e looking at being days away from potentially having to shut down our production of fertilizer.鈥�
The House of Commons resumes today following a two-week break, so back-to-work legislation could come immediately if the federal government so chooses.
However, federal Labour Minister Seamus O鈥橰egan 鈥� who is in Calgary on Monday and said in an emailed statement he will remain there until the two parties reach an agreement 鈥� indicated over the weekend that the government believes the best deal is reached at the bargaining table.
鈥淲e could not agree more,鈥� said Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, which has been calling for CP Rail to 鈥渘egotiate in good faith鈥� with the Teamsters, in a release.
鈥淲e hope that the negotiations will be allowed to continue with mediation and that we avoid intervention by government. Let me be clear, back-to-work legislation is not needed.鈥�
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh told reporters in Ottawa on Monday that employing back-to-work legislation in a 鈥渃avalier鈥� way interferes with the right of workers to use the ability to strike as a negotiation tool to improve working conditions.
鈥淭he fact that it鈥檚 already something that鈥檚 being raised before workers have a chance to negotiate sends a message to employers that they don鈥檛 have to negotiate,鈥� Singh said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 wrong.鈥�
鈥擜manda Stephenson, The Canadian Press
