Workers at Canadian National Railway (CN) will start returning to work on Friday, following the Canadian government’s intervention to end an unprecedented rail stoppage. The Teamsters union announced the return of CN workers, while the work stoppage at Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) will continue pending an order from the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB).
Earlier on Thursday, both CN and CPKC had locked out over 9,000 unionized workers, prompting a simultaneous rail stoppage that business groups warned could lead to hundreds of millions of dollars in economic losses. In response, the Canadian government requested the CIRB to issue a back-to-work order, which is expected to be implemented soon.
CN indicated it would lift its lockout by Thursday at 6 p.m. ET, while CPKC is preparing to restart its operations in Canada once it receives the CIRB’s order. Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon expressed confidence that train operations would resume within days.
In addition to requesting the back-to-work order, MacKinnon urged the board to initiate binding arbitration between the Teamsters union and the rail companies, extending the terms of existing labor agreements until new contracts are finalized.
The situation escalated after multiple rounds of negotiations failed to produce a resolution, with both sides blaming each other for the impasse. The Teamsters union announced on social media that it had dismantled picket lines at CN.
CN spokesperson Jonathan Abecassis noted that it could take the company over a week to catch up on delayed shipments. This decision by the government marks a shift in approach, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s administration had previously emphasized resolving the matter through negotiation.