Related
Internal Links
Locomotive engineers at Canadian National walked off the job early Saturday after last-minute negotiations collapsed just before a midnight Friday strike deadline.
The two sides had begun talks at noon in Montreal at the invitation of federal mediators.
Teamsters union spokesman Stéphane Lacroix had said there was a possibility the strike could be postponed if the railway agreed to negotiate and not impose a 1.5 per cent wage increase and revised distance caps.
The strike by the 1,700 engineers could affect service, but analysts believe the railway can continue to operate since many of its supervisors and managers are qualified engineers.
Via Rail said earlier that its passenger service would be unaffected by a strike.
In the Montreal region, the Metropolitan Transport Agency said a strike would force the cancellation of service on its Montreal/Deux-Montagnes and Montreal/Mont-Saint-Hilaire train lines.
In a statement, the agency said it was seeking a court injunction to block a strike, calling it "unacceptable" that service for 38,000 commuters a day could be "held hostage" by a labour conflict.
In the event of a walkout, the agency said it would try to arrange for shuttle service for commuters, starting Monday.
The most recent strike at CN ended after more than two months in 2007 when Parliament enacted back-to-work legislation affecting 2,800 conductors represented by the United Transportation Union.
With files from The Canadian PressShare Tools
Latest Manitoba News Headlines
- Doors blocked in fatal Manitoba trailer blaze
- Four men who died in a residential trailer fire in Selkirk, Man., may not have been able to escape because both of the home's exits were blocked, says a local fire official. more »
- Winnipeg police treating man's death as homicide
- Winnipeg police are investigating the city's third homicide of 2012, after a man died of his injuries early Sunday. more »
- Manitoba man dies after falling off moving SUV
- A 23-year-old man from Elie, Man., has died from injuries he sustained after falling off the outside of a vehicle as it was driving down a highway, according to RCMP. more »
- Fowler wins Manitoba men's curling title
- Rob Fowler and his team from Brandon, Man., will represent Manitoba at this year's Brier after they captured the provincial men's curling title on Sunday. more »
Top News Headlines
- Markets gain after Greece approves austerity plan
- World stock markets rise after Greece's parliament approves a new set of austerity measures that were required by international lenders in exchange for an emergency bailout. more »
- Hit and run victim's family fears accused will walk
- The family of a young mother killed in a hit and run is outraged that the case against the alleged driver is among thousands in B.C. at risk of being thrown out because of a huge court backlog. more »
- CBC launches digital music service
- CBC is diving into the world of online music with the goal of providing listeners access to their favourite tunes and a way to discover new artists and connect with fellow music fans. more »
- Market moves: Is it time to start investing in the world yet?
- Investors have always been told that diversification is one of the best ways to reduce the risk associated with a portfolio, but they often aren't told the whole story. more »
- Manitoba man dies after falling off moving SUV
- Doors blocked in fatal Manitoba trailer blaze
- Ear cropping of dogs banned in Manitoba
- Boreal ducks threatened by climate change
- Winnipeg police treating man's death as homicide
- Bus driver dragged out to street, roughed up by violent fare
- Pine Creek First Nation incident kills 1
- Fowler wins Manitoba men's curling title
- 88-year-old robbery victim moved by generosity
Hockey Day in Canada
