Laval, QC, September 4, 2024 – Teamsters Canada is welcoming the NDP decision to tear up the Supply and Confidence Agreement with the Liberal Party of Canada.
“Canadians have a fundamental right to collectively bargain and engage in union activities. Sadly, the Liberals opted to trample on these rights. Now, the government must face the political fallout of their actions. Teamster members have only ever sought safe and dignified working conditions; the collapse of this agreement could have been avoided had the government stood with workers instead of corporate interests,” said François Laporte, National President, Teamsters Canada.
The breakdown of the deal between the Liberals and the NDP follows the government’s decision to impose binding arbitration just 16 hours and 29 minutes after CN and CPKC locked out over 10,000 members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, who had been negotiating in good faith to renew their collective agreements.
Both companies were pushing for concessions that could undermine rail safety. By imposing binding arbitration, the federal government allowed CN and CPKC to bypass a union fighting for working people and all Canadians. Now, both companies have the chance to achieve their objectives through arbitration.
“This was CN and CPKC’s plan from the beginning: refuse to negotiate, lock workers out, take the country hostage, and force the government to impose binding arbitration to sideline the Teamsters. Rather than stand up to railroad CEOs, the Liberals fell straight into their trap,” added Laporte.
The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference is challenging the constitutionality of the binding arbitration order. To see the Federal Court of Appeal filings, click here.
At over 130,000 members, Teamsters Canada is the country’s largest transportation and supply chain union. It’s also the largest union in the federally regulated private sector. They are affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents over 1.2 million workers in North America.
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Media requests:
Christopher Monette
Director of Public Affairs
Teamsters Canada
Cell. : 514-226-6002
[email protected]
