Canadian rail workers end stoppage as labor board enforces government order
CANADA (News release) -- Nearly 10,000 Canadian rail workers will end their work stoppage after the Canada Industrial Relations Board sided with a federal order to resume operations at Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Canadian National Railway. The board also imposed binding arbitration to reach new collective agreements between the rail companies and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, the union representing the workers. Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon issued the orders last Thursday after negotiations stalled, arguing that continued stoppage posed risks to the economy. Despite compliance, the union plans to challenge the ruling in federal court. Economists estimate the rail disruptions could have cost the economy hundreds of millions of dollars daily.
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