Second TCRC-CTY, CN contract narrowly fails ratification

Canadian National (CN) has proposed binding arbitration to reach a contract settlement with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference – Conductors, Trainpersons and Yardpersons (TCRC-CTY) after the union advised that the tentative labor agreement negotiated with CN on February 5, 2014, failed to ratify.

With 64.2 percent of active members returning ballots, the count was 852 in favor, 891 against and eight spoiled.

This is the second tentative contract that the TCRC-CTY has not ratified this year. The TCRC-CTY represents approximately 3,000 CN train conductors, trainpersons, yardpersons and traffic coordinators on CN’s network in Canada.

“We are disappointed that our tentative agreement with the TCRC-CTY narrowly failed ratification following extensive negotiations with the union’s bargaining committee,” said Claude Mongeau, CN president and chief executive officer. “CN today tabled an offer to the TCRC-CTY to settle all unresolved contract issues through final binding arbitration to allow the parties to move forward without the prospect of labor disruption. The union is now studying our proposal and we have requested the TCRC-CTY respond to our offer by close of business tomorrow, March 21. We hope the union will accept it in the current circumstances, given that CN’s recovery from extraordinary winter weather that hampered operations is in its early stages. A labor dispute now would ill serve CN’s customers, the Canadian economy or the company’s employees.”