2800 CN employees asked to return to the job as tentative settlement reached

The fifteen day strike at the nation’s largest railway has come to an end as negotiators and officials reached a resolution to the dispute, with union officials urging their employees to return to work pending a ratification vote. That vote will be conducted starting Monday as union members receive a copy of the tentative agreement and a ballot which is expected to be returned and counted by the end of March.

On Friday, the Federal Government had introduced back to work legislation to bring an end to the dispute, debate and a vote on that was to commence on Monday in Ottawa. While no word has been provided from the government yet, it is hoped that the back to work legislation will be delayed pending the announcement of the results of the vote.

The strike has resulted in a large number of economic problems for many of Canada’s industries, most notably locally the state of the Prince Rupert Grain elevator which has seen a large volume of ships build up in the harbour, waiting for grain that has yet to arrive.

With the settlement of the strike and a return to a sense of normalcy, it’s hoped that that backlog will soon be reduced and a more reliable system of delivery can return.

The Globe and Mail covered the events leading up to the settlement and explains the process from here to get the trains back on time.

Deal reached to end CN Rail strike
Canadian Press
February 24, 2007

MONTREAL — CN and the United Transportation Union say they have reached a tentative deal to end a strike by 2,800 railway conductors and yard-service workers.

The union says it is maintaining its strike mandate but is urging its members to return to their jobs pending a ratification vote.

Results of the vote will not be available until near the end of March.

Union members will be mailed a copy of the tentative agreement along with a ballot on Monday, and they will have until March 26 to mail in their ballots. The ballots will be counted in Ottawa the same day.

"The 2,800 employees and members of the union, which are conductors and yard-service employees, remain on strike pending ratification," Mark Hallman, spokesman for CN management, told The Canadian Press late Saturday.

"We, at this time, continue to have management personnel filling in for striking UTU members, but, we do note that the union is urging its members to return to work during the ratification process and we're encouraged by that," said Hallman.

UTU spokesman Frank Wilner confirmed that the transit union would be encouraging its workers to return to work.

"We are asking our members to go back to work immediately," said Wilner.

CN continues to offer freight service with management personnel filling in for the strikers. Passenger and commuter train service have not been affected.

On Friday, the federal government tabled legislation ordering the striking employees back to work, warning of potential economic chaos from a walkout that has already hurt key industries.
Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn told the House of Commons that the strike couldn't be allowed to continue in the face of layoffs, backlogs and supply shortages throughout industry and in communities across the country.

MPs are scheduled to deal with the legislation this week.

Chief union negotiators John Armstrong and Robert Sharpe said in a release that they hope the union's call for workers to return to their jobs "will greatly reduce the possibility of the Canadian government continuing to move forward on back-to-work legislation until such time as the ratification process is completed and the results are known."Federal Labour Ministry officials were not immediately available for comment.