A wide ranging railway strike by both major railways at the same time has been averted – for now.
Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) union workers have been ordered back to work by the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB).
Trains for both rail companies started running again after midnight Monday, Aug. 26. CN trains started rolling through Beaver County on a regular basis starting Monday, although workers for both Teamsters unions are not happy being ordered off the picket line.
Final binding arbitration for all sides in the labour dispute to be conducted by the CIRB is expected to start possibly later this week.
A work stoppage started Aug. 22 as company lockouts led to workers going on the picket line after negotiations failed to meet a company imposed deadline.
A strike was expected to deeply impact the local agricultural industry and farmers starting their harvest and needing to ship their grain this fall.
Patricia Harcourt
Editor
