CPKC union serves 72-hour strike notice

The union representing thousands of workers at Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. says it has served a 72-hour strike notice to the railway.

The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference says in a press release that unless the parties can reach a last-minute agreement, workers will be off the job as of 12:01 a.m. Eastern time Thursday. 

The Teamsters say CPKC has served notice it will lock out its members as well as change the terms of collective agreements, which the union says forces it to serve a strike notice to protect workers. 

The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Both CPKC and Canadian National Railway Co. have been halting shipments in preparation for potential work stoppages by a combined 9,300 workers at the two railways. 

On Thursday, federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon rejected a request from CN to impose binding arbitration.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 18, 2024