Dear Member,
CN today issued a news release regarding the strike action that began on Saturday (June 18), when some 750 members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) walked off the job after failing to agree to a new labour contract with the railway.
The striking workers are mainly responsible for maintaining and repairing CN’s trackside electrical and signalling equipment such as crossings, track signals and switches, all of which dictate the potential speed of trains. Negotiations between CN and the union have been ongoing since November 2021.
According to CN’s news release, normal rail operations are continuing safely due to the implementation of an operational contingency plan that was activated as soon as the work stoppage began. Under that plan, managers and contract workers are being deployed to carry out the work normally done by the striking employees.
We will continue to monitor this situation and keep members informed of all relevant developments.
Sincerely,
Karen Kancens
Vice President