Rail workers rally for better working conditions in Montreal as labour dispute halts trains

Rail workers gathered outside the Canadian National Railway (CN) headquarters in Montreal after negotiations between the Teamsters workers' union and CN as well asCanadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) collapsed.

Workers would have gone into work today had the rail companies not imposed a lockout Thursday night, public affairs director for Teamsters Canada Christopher Monette told Radio-Canada's Tout un matin. The union had issued a strike notice to CPKCafter the former had already sent its lockout notice earlier in August, he said.

UPDATE:Trains could start rolling 'within days,' labour minister says after sending dispute to binding arbitration

Negotiations had been ongoing for nine months over wages, benefits and scheduling issues.

"You're on call basically 24/7," said Monette. "When you get the call, you have two hours to get to work and you don't know if you'll be back that same day, the next day or in two days."

He says members give over 80 hours weekly to their employers taking into account wait times and time spent in dormitories.

LISTEN |How did we get here?:

The Current19:02Everything you need to know about the railroads lockout

CN Rail says that the Teamsters showed no desire or urgency to reach a deal before rail workers were locked out Thursday, but the union says thats just not true. Guest host Connie Walker asks both sides what it will take to resolve this unprecedented shutdown.

CNmadeits fifth offerover nine months before Wednesday's midnight deadline but it was ultimately refused by the Teamsters. The offer proposed hourly rates workers are currently paid by the mile scheduled shifts as well as higher wages.

"It's good for the economy, it's good for the employees. The only people who seem to not want it is the Teamsters," said CN spokespersonJonathan Abecassis.

Teamsters president Franois Laporte says they're ready to return to the bargaining table at any time.

"We don't want to see another Lac-Mgantic accident. We want people who operate the train people who are not fatigued," he said. "In Montreal, downtown, for example, and everywhere across the country [you] see trains passing by carrying chemical products, energy, oil."

Abecassis says that safety is a core value for the company adding thatthe Teamsters' demands have largely been around wages. He says the union has not been engaging in the negotiations seriously andhad only presented a "reasonable" offer last weekend.

He says CN also remains at the table and that negotiations are ongoing today.

The labour stoppage has already been causing headaches for commuters and will have larger ripple effects on the distribution of goods. The rail companies haul a combined $1 billion worth ofgoods each day, according to the Railway Association of Canada.

WATCH | How the rail stoppageis affecting commuters:

Montreal commuters face perfect traffic storm with rail lockout and construction

7 days ago

Duration 1:10

A looming work stoppage involving Canada's two largest rail companies would have a major impact on commuter train service and traffic on the city's roads.

The Montreal Port Authority says 45 per cent of the goods moving through the port use one of the two rail networks. There will likely be more trucks coming into the port in the following days to keep the merchandise moving, says port spokespersonMlanie Nadeau.

She said the port was able to divert goods from rail in anticipation of the lockout. CN has also moved refrigerated goods and dangerous chemicals from its rails.

Nadeau says the lockout will raise "major challenges" for markets served by the Montreal port, notably Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area.

But retailers won't immediately feel the impact, according to Samuel Bouchard Villeneuve, director of public affairs for theAssociation des dtaillants en alimentation du Qubec, which represents food retailers.

The work stoppage will also certainly have an impact on construction, according to Karine Casault, communications director with theAssociation des professionnels de la construction et de l'habitation du Qubec.She says supply issues had just started to improve over the last year after the pandemic upheaval.

The Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal says the federal government should recognize supply chains as an essential service and guarantee their proper functioning. The group says it'surging federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to intervene and pass back-to-work legislation.

MacKinnon told CBC's Power & Politics Wednesday that it was the rail companies' and union's "duty to get a deal."