(AmericanProsperity.com) – Canada has two major freight railroads and both of them have come to a complete halt because of a contract dispute with the workers. This halt could bring a whole slew of issues and economic harm to the United States and Canada if the trains don’t resume promptly.
Canadian Nationals and CPKC railroads didn’t allow workers into their facilities after there was a lack of new agreements with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, representing about ten thousand railroad employees.
CPKC trains and CN’s trains will operate in the United States and Mexico but all rail traffic in Canada and all shipments crossing into the United States border have stopped. Billions of dollars in goods every month move between the U.S. and Canada according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, Jay Timmons, said, “If rail traffic grinds to a halt, businesses and families across the country will feel the impact.” He continued, “Manufacturing workers, their communities and consumers of all sorts of products will be left reeling from supply chain disruptions.”
The impacts will be felt throughout Canada in metropolitan areas like Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal as regular riders will have to find a new way into work since trains won’t be operating. Business groups have pushed for an intervention if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau doesn’t force the sides into arbitration.
CN has said they are waiting on a final response from an offer that was made. CPKC spokesperson Patrick Waldron spoke out saying that the union rejected the last offer made by CEO Kieth Creel.
Negotiations continue but are stuck on the topic of scheduling for workers in order to prevent fatigue.
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