- Canadian National Railway Co. (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. (CPKC) have started halting shipments of certain goods in anticipation of a potential strike or lockout next week.
- CN has embargoed hazardous goods from the U.S., including chlorine and ammonia, as well as other toxic, poisonous, and explosive materials.
- CPKC has banned the traffic of dangerous materials to prevent them from being stranded during a potential work stoppage.
- Both railways have warned that 9,300 engineers, conductors, and yard workers will be locked out on August 22 if new contract agreements are not reached.
- Shippers are concerned that a work stoppage would severely disrupt the country’s supply chain, impacting industries such as public health, agriculture, mining, and forestry.
- The Chemistry Industry Association of Canada highlighted the importance of chlorine for municipal drinking water, which could be affected by the stoppage.
- Fertilizer Canada expressed concerns over Canada's trade reliability, emphasizing that most Canadian-made fertilizer is moved by rail.
- Railways typically slow down service ahead of a work stoppage and issue embargoes on certain products, impacting essential ammonia fertilizer products.
- The National Labor Board ruled that a work stoppage would not pose a serious danger to public health or safety, allowing for the possibility of a strike or lockout starting August 22 after a 13-day cooling-off period.
- The Business Council of Alberta and other industry groups have called for federal intervention to prevent a prolonged work stoppage.
- Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon has encouraged railway and union representatives to reach a deal at the bargaining table.
{This summary covers the key facts and insights from the original article, offering information about CN and CPKC preparing for the looming strike.}
Source: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/company-news/2024/08/13/rail-companies-start-to-halt-certain-shipments-as-lockout-threat-looms/