Canadian National Railway (CN) received a 72-hour strike notice from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) yesterday. The union, representing approximately 750 employees in Canada, is prepared to strike beginning at 11 AM EST on Saturday. CN and the union continue to negotiate, and CN also offered to resolve the remaining differences, primarily regarding wages and benefits, through binding arbitration.
Operations at the railway are expected to continue if a strike occurs. According to CN’s Chief Marketing Officer Doug MacDonald, “CN remains optimistic that an agreement can be reached without a labour disruption. However, should the union move forward with a strike, CN has prepared and is ready to implement an operational contingency plan. Our contingency plan would ensure continued safe and uninterrupted service for our customers as long as required.”
Deringer will continue to monitor the situation and keep you updated.