Some 750 members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Canada resigned on Saturday after failing to agree on a new rail contract, union negotiator Steve Martin said in an interview. The two sides do not meet in person, but continue to discuss and exchange proposals for contracts, he said. A Canadian National spokesman did not confirm the departure. “We are not saying anything at this point,” Jonathan Abekasis said by telephone on Sunday. An ongoing strike could cause another blow to supply chains in Canada and boost prices for goods already affected by the pandemic. And last year in British Columbia, mudslides and floods disrupted all major highways between the Lower Continent and Inland, as well as freight routes used by the Canadian National and rival Canadian Pacific. The railway has an emergency plan to ensure that the safe transport of goods continues, Mr Abekasis said. There is no impact on business at the moment and none is expected, he said. The union has challenged this view, saying the consequences are inevitable if the strike continues. “The impact on business is very likely,” said Martin. This is due to the fact that a large percentage of employees are on duty responding to problem situations such as the effects of storms, he explained. Others do preventive maintenance. The striking workers repair and maintain CNG track and side electrical equipment, such as walkways, track signals and switches. This equipment dictates the possible speed of trains, in the same way that traffic lights dictate the speed of motor vehicles on the road, Mr. Martin said. CN intends to use managers and contract workers to do the job if needed, Mr Abekasis said. It was not clear how this would be possible in Quebec, which has strict laws against the use of non-executive replacement workers in a situation of labor conflict. The union last week gave the company a 72-hour notice of its intention to strike. The company offered to settle the remaining disputes with the union, mainly over salaries and allowances, through binding arbitration. An important issue at stake is what is called “off-site work”. The company wants to be able to move employees from their area of origin for a certain number of days at a time, Martin said. The same issue arose during the previous contract negotiations, which resulted in a five-year collective agreement that expired at the end of 2021. Your time is precious. Deliver the Top Business Headlines newsletter to your inbox in the morning or evening. Register today.
