Canadian freight trains could stop moving Thursday. If they do, many businesses will be hurt

[Omaha Steve]

https://apnews.com/article/canadian-national-cpkc-railroad-strike-lockout-tcrc-b8b60eb57646ab6300a3742fe977cab0

By ROB GILLIES and JOSH FUNK
Updated 6:12 PM CDT, August 20, 2024

TORONTO (AP) — Businesses across a variety of industries are bracing for freight trains to stop moving Thursday at both major Canadian freight railroads if they can’t resolve a contract dispute with the union that represents engineers, conductors and dispatchers.

The impact will be widespread because so many companies rely on Canadian National and CPKC railroads to deliver their raw materials and finished products. Railroads carry more than $1 billion Canadian (US$730 million) worth of goods each day and delivered more than 375 million tons of freight last year.

More than 32,000 commuters will also be affected in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver because they rely on CPKC dispatchers to direct those trains over that freight railroad’s tracks.

Government officials are playing a more active role in trying to resolve the dispute, with the labor minister meeting with the parties at the CN negotiations in Montreal on Tuesday and with CPKC contract negotiators on Wednesday in Calgary. But so far, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been reluctant to force the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference union to accept a deal. Many business groups have urged the government to intervene and force arbitration.

[Bobstandard]

1. Any strike will last about a minute

Sure, freight like groceries, tvs,, kitchen appliances, feedstock, and even beer will be delayed, but that won’t really figure into the equation. Canada relies on and is controlled by its extractive industries, mining, forestry, and, increasingly, oil extraction. The captains of industry and their mandarins won’t let the tank cars, ore and coal hoppers, and cut lumber sit for long. You watch.

[Mark.b2]

2. This threat in Canada has been on-going all summer, but...

this one feels like it may happen. I’m in the industry, and my Canadian railroad started telling us three weeks to prepare for the worst. Threats of railroad strikes up there are common enough they dont usually worry me. With this one, however, it feels different. I now believe this one will commence. The question is for how long.

The ILWU (USA East coast port workers union) is also threqtening to strike, but not until October. We can worry about that one later. It would be best if this one settled. Port strikes always bring out the stories of how well-compensated longshoremen are and how antiquated US ports are run the unions. They arent the easiest works with which to empathize. Plus, labor unrest is never good during an election.