Farmers are expressing concern about a strike at CN Rail.
At midnight Tuesday, just over 3,000 conductors, trainpersons and yard workers went on strike after the union and company failed to reach a deal by the midnight deadline.
The union says talks are still on-going with hopes a new deal can be reached sooner rather than later.
The chair of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association, Jim Wickett, said grain exports could be seriously disrupted by the labour disruption.
“It would severely limit all grain movements whether it’s cars that are owned or leased by the company or CN’s actual rolling stock, but you can’t take 3,000 employees out of the system and expect it to run anywhere near capacity,” Wickett said.
Wickett said the federal government needs to take quick action to resolve the contract dispute because of the significant impact on the Canadian economy.
CN receives strike notice from union representing train conductors in Canada: Earliest Teamsters could strike is Tuesday morning
More info: https://t.co/Y9sZlHiAZi pic.twitter.com/5XTh52wXKW
— Canadian National (@CNRailway) November 16, 2019
Without a contract since July, workers are concerned about long hours, fatigue, and alleged dangerous working conditions they fear will only worsen with CN’s plan to cut jobs to deal with a weakening continental economy.
The railway says passenger train service will not be disrupted.
