Teamsters Canada Rail Conference sets strike deadline for new contract with CP

The union, which represents more than 3,000 engineers and conductors at the railway, intends to strike if a negotiated settlement is not reached by midnight Feb. 14.    The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) told negotiators from Canada Pacific Railway the union intends to go on strike if a negotiated labor contract is not reached by midnight Feb. 14.
   TCRC President Douglas Finnson said TCRC, which represents more than 3,000 engineers and conductors at CP, is “determined to achieve a negotiated settlement, which addresses the issues they face on a daily basis.
   “CP is completely unable to provide the majority of our members with any sort of accurate information on when they are required to work,” said Finnson. “The CP negotiators have admitted their lineup model is completely unpredictable and they are simply unable to fix it. Furthermore, CP is either unwilling or unable to comply with the collective agreements that require train crews stop operating and obtain rest after 10 continuous hours of work.”
   TCRC is negotiating with CP currently in Montreal with the assistance of Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services.
   The union contends it “has provided CP with a sensible and effective set of options that will correct many of the terrible working conditions, and will continue to work towards effective solutions should CP want to make positive changes.”
   CP said in a statement it asked the TCRC to begin contract negotiations in December 2013, a full year before the current agreement was set to expire.
   Peter Edwards, vice president of human resources and labor relations at the railway, said, “CP’s offers included wage increases, better benefit plans, and the reinstatement of the Employee Share Purchase Plan in a long-term agreement. We also proposed a model that will improve the scheduling of regular time off and quality of life while enhancing our service and efficiency, but the union has not been interested.”
   “Canadian Pacific is committed to finding a workable solution with the union and continues to bargain in good faith,” Edwards said.
   Finnison echoed Edwards’ statements, saying, “The Teamsters are here to negotiate.”
   If the TCRC does indeed decide to strike, CP said it “will implement its extensive contingency plan by deploying qualified management employees to maintain a reduced freight service on its Canadian network.”
   The Teamsters Union represents 125,000 members in Canada in all trades.