Trainmen set to strike

Ken Johnston

Unless something drastic takes place CNR engineers will be going on strike at midnight tonight.
Over 1,750 members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference Union (TCRC) are set to strike. They have been without a contract since the end of 2003.
There are a number of issues at the heart of the dispute, including the company’s plan to halt the employee gain-sharing plan, even though the company has been posting record profits.
While the federal government appointed two mediators over the weekend, there were no new negotiation sessions scheduled before the strike deadline of midnight tonight.
In a press release Monday CN said, “CN has contingency plans to maintain core freight operations in the event of a TCRC strike.
CN has tabled a fair and reasonable offer to the TCRC that provides for improved wages and benefits for its members.”