In less than 24 hours, the federal government has intervened in the Rail Lockout and will ask the Canada Industrial Relations Board to impose final, binding arbitration.
Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said the collective bargaining process is ultimately up to the companies and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference union, but the lockout is affecting all Canadians.
Both rail companies have called for arbitration in the past, but the Teamster union has rejected it at every turn, believing bargaining would be a better result.
Prime Minister Trudeau received a sharp comment from NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, saying, “Justin Trudeau has just sent a message to CN, CPKC, and all big corporations – being a bad boss pays off.”
This comes after the NDP leader made it clear that he would not support back-to-work legislation, or any interference in the bargaining process, involving Canada's two biggest railways.
