Two unions representing employees with CP Rail have officially filed a strike notice for Saturday if a new collective bargaining agreement is not reached.
The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, which represents roughly 3,100 CP Rail employees across Canada, filed the 72-hour notice yesterday in Calgary.
A second union — the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Canadian Signals and Communications System Council No. 11 (IBEW), which represents roughly 318 signals and communications employees, also filed strike notice yesterday
In a union bulletin, the TCRC says members met with CP Rail labour relations representatives on Tuesday and will continue to meet up until the deadline.
“The bargaining committee remains solid, united and strong in their conviction to obtain a negotiated settlement which the membership will support through ratification,” reads the bulletin.
CP Rail confirmed the company has received both strike notices, adding that efforts continue to reach a negotiated settlement, according to a press release.
“Serving a strike notice is part of the bargaining process that unions must follow if they want to be able to strike,” said Keith Creel, CP President and CEO. “We remain committed to achieving a win-win solution and urge the two unions to work closely with us and the federal mediators to achieve a positive outcome as soon as possible in the hours leading up to the deadline.”
The company says it presented two proposals of three and five-year agreement options to both unions on Monday during bargaining negotiations.
