COMPANY NEWS

May 17, 2024 – In an attempt to avoid a work stoppage and end the unpredictability for Canada’s supply chains, CN has tabled a new offer to the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC). CN said the offer respects Duty and Rest Period Rules and is aligned with scientific fatigue management practices.

At the same time, CPKC and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) leadership will resume meeting on May 17, with the assistance of federal mediators in an effort to achieve new collective agreements for train and engine (T&E) and rail traffic controller (RCTC) employees. On Wednesday, CPKC voluntarily offered to enter binding arbitration to avoid a work stoppage, however, the TCRC declined.

May 12, 2024 – The BC Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Ship and Dock Foremen Local 514 (ILWU Local 514) continued negotiations last week with the support of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). Citing "the union bargaining committee’s intransigence at the bargaining table," the BCMEA filed a complaint with the Canada Industrial Relations Board on May 10.

The 21-day cooling-off period concluded at 12:01 am PT on Friday morning. Therefore, the parties have acquired the legal right to strike or lockout, but may not exercise their right to strike or lockout until a strike or lockout vote has been taken and a 72-hour strike notice, including date and time of intended action, has been provided to the other party and the Minister of Labour.

May 1, 2024 – Workers for Canada’s biggest railways have voted to strike, setting the stage for a potentially crippling labour disruption that could stall freight shipments across the country. The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference union says members working at Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike mandate as both sides remain far apart in labour negotiations.

The Teamsters could now call for a nationwide rail strike as early as May 22. It would impact around 9,900 train conductors, locomotive engineers and other workers. The strike vote comes at the end of the 60-day conciliation period between the railways and unions. Both sides are now in a 21-day cooling off period. No strike or lockout can take place until it concludes.

April 26, 2024 – Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) is preparing for the possibility of a strike by some 3,300 workers next month. "From my perspective, the positions haven’t changed much," President and CEO Keith Creel told analysts on a conference call Wednesday. Obviously, you have to hope for the best, but you also have to make sure you plan for the worst." While 6,000 Canadian National Railway (CN) workers are also in talks with their employer, there is a possibility of two rail work stoppages this spring, which combined could paralyze virtually all freight rail traffic in Canada. In February, the CPKC and CN called on the federal Minister of Labour to appoint a conciliator for the process of negotiating a new collective agreement for conductors, engineers and yard workers. The Notice of Dispute has set the legal stage for a possible strike or lockout, which could occur as early as May 22.

April 23, 2024 – The 1,200 longshoremen at the Port of Montreal rejected, by a margin of 99.5 percent, management’s latest offer to renew their collective agreement. The Maritime Employers Association (MEA), which represents the employer side, had stated that this settlement proposal represented the furthest they could go in the current context. Of the 1,206 members of this local of the FQ-affiliated Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), 1,078 were present, and rejected the employer’s offer by 99.54 percent.

April 19, 2024 – On Friday, the CBSA provided an update on its plans for the launch of CARM. CARM will launch internally at the CBSA on May 13, as planned, to advance the Agency’s compliance and enforcement efforts. However, as a result of strike vote activity now underway by the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the possible impact on the Agency’s operations in the event of a positive strike vote, it is the intention of the CBSA to reschedule the launch for trade chain partners to October 2024. This will ensure that the Agency can support partners as they start using CARM. Therefore, until the fall, trade chain partners will continue to operate as they have.

April 19, 2024 – The BC Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Ship & Dock Foremen Local 514 (ILWU Local 514) have been engaged in negotiations, assisted by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) since January 19, 2024. On March 19, the parties mutually agreed to a 30-day extension of the conciliation period. As the extended conciliation period concluded on Thursday, negotiations have now entered a 21-day cooling-off period, with mediated talks continuing with the support of FMCS. During the cooling-off period, the parties may acquire the legal right to strike or lockout, but may not exercise their right to strike or lockout until:

• 21 days have passed since the end of the conciliation process;
• a strike or lockout vote has been taken; and
• a 72-hour strike notice has been issued.

April 9, 2024 – Contrary to conflicting reports, the Port of Montreal is still fully operational. The union has not called for their mandatory 72 hour notice of a strike action. More news as it develops.

March 4, 2024 – The Port of Montreal issued a reminder on Friday that the Maritime Employers Association and the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 375 – Montreal Longshoremen continue to wait for a decision from the Canada Industrial Relations Board on the MEA’s application to recognize the work of the local’s members as essential. The two parties provided information requested by the CIRB on or before February 23. Until a decision has been announced, neither party is allowed to apply pressure of any kind on the other. The port remains fully operational.

February 25, 2024 – Transpacific container spot rates remain high as the contracting season moves into gear; however, new contract proposals from carriers may get the cold shoulder. With ocean carriers, BCOs, shippers and freight forwarders assembling in their hundreds for the JoC TPM conference in Long Beach in a week’s time – the traditional start of the transpacific contract season – the lines will believe they are in the perfect position to push for substantial contract rate hikes.However, anecdotal reports suggest carrier account negotiators at TPM24, endeavouring to persuade customers to sign up for long-term deals, will be in for a challenging few days across the meeting rooms and halls of the Long Beach convention centre.