Producer and agriculture groups across Canada launched a ‘Stop the Strike’ writing campaign asking the federal ministers of agriculture and labour to use all their means to stop rail workers from walking off the job.
Tag Archives railways
Agriculture groups redouble pressure on governments, railways stop strike or lockout
Jasper fires force trains to go slow
CN has resumed service but at a reduced speed through the area
The Canadian National Railway line through Jasper, Alta,. is open, but trains are moving slowly due to the wildfire that destroyed a significant part of the community this week. The implications for grain movement are unknown, but unloads are already down at the port of Vancouver.
Editor’s Rant: Strike one, two, three, et cetera
By the time the paper version of this issue reaches you (around May 28), we’ll probably know whether Canada’s rail engineers, conductors and yard workers have reached a new collective bargaining agreement, or hit the picket line for yet another strike, or been legislated back to work. Prairie grain farmers have already seen this movie […] Read more
Rail strike looms as CN, CPKC workers take action to a vote
Any labour disruption could be weeks away, but the grain sector is still wary
Members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) are in the middle of a strike vote. The vote comes after three collective agreements, covering CN and CPKC engineers and conductors as well as rail traffic controllers at CPCK, expired December 31.
US reopens key rail crossings between Texas and Mexico
American, Mexican agriculture groups express relief
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said operations resumed at 2 p.m. ET at the international railway crossing bridges in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas. The closures had prompted alarm from railroads, the agriculture industry and some lawmakers over the economic impact to halted export trade.
Railways blast past revenue cap
Grain moved was up 60 per cent from last season on drought recovery
Canada's two big railways will have a $7.1 million Christmas present for the Western Grains Research Foundations following a ruling they exceeded their revenue caps in 2022-23.
Preview: Railways, grain shippers at loggerheads over interswitching
Pilot to test expanded radius deemed unnecessary by both sides
Recent legislation has raised the stakes in a decade-long battle between the railways and Canadian grain shippers over the interswitching radius. Interswitching refers to a regulation to ensure shippers located where only a single railway operates can access points that are not served by that railway. The issue is especially concerning for Canadian grain shippers […] Read more
Rail interswitching expansion pilot clears Parliament
Grain handlers to press for plan to be made permanent
Last week’s passage of the 2023 federal budget starts a 90-day countdown toward an 18-month test of expanded interswitching on railways in the three Prairie provinces. Bill C-47, the government’s budget implementation bill — which was first read April 20 in the House of Commons and got third reading in the Senate and royal assent […] Read more
U.S. regulator approves CP’s purchase of Kansas City Southern
Two U.S. grain grower groups warn of reduced rail competition
Washington | Reuters — The Surface Transportation Board of the United States said on Wednesday it had approved Canadian Pacific Railway’s US$31 billion acquisition of railroad company Kansas City Southern, with a series of environmental and competition conditions. The board, which oversees U.S. freight railroads, is imposing some requirements on the deal, which was agreed […] Read more
Biden administration makes case for quick Senate vote to avoid rail shutdown
Bill imposing deal on workers clears House
Washington | Reuters — The Biden administration on Thursday urged the U.S. Senate to quickly pass a bill to block a railroad strike, warning that serious economic disruptions could be felt within days. The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to approve a bill to impose a tentative contract deal reached in September on […] Read more
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