Montreal-The Canadian National (CN) Railway Company announced on Oct. 1 that it has reached a tentative, three-year contract with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), which represents 2,700 conductors, yard-persons, and traffic coordinators across Canada. Details are being withheld pending ratification. The issue that sparked the dispute, according to TCRC, concerns modifications proposed by CN to alter mandatory rest periods for workers, forcing them to work 24 of 32 hours and then restarting the cycle 8 hours later (GM Sept. 27, p. 12). The union claims the CN proposal will increase the risk of accidents. Sources in September said a strike or lockout was likely because the two sides were far from resolution. Had it occurred, industry sources said a strike could have caused significant disruptions to chemical and fertilizer shipments, as was the case in early 2007 when some 2,800 unionized workers at CN went on strike over a disputed pay raise (GM Feb. 12, 2007).
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