Breaking News: Federal labour board orders rail workers back on the job, imposes binding arbitration

Union will ‘lawfully comply’ with ruling but plans to appeal, Teamsters president says

Court Painter harkens back to a famous train wreck in the Paris Montparnasse terminus in October of 1885 which is presented here for dramatic effect!

OTTAWA — The future of an unprecedented Canada railway stoppage hinged on a decision expected Saturday from a federal labour board amid an ongoing, bitter contract dispute between the country’s two largest railway companies and the Teamsters union representing thousands of their workers.

Teamsters, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City were all waiting on a decision after a “marathon nine-hour hearing” before the Canada Industrial Relations Board, the union said.

“The union will lawfully abide by any decision from the CIRB, and is prepared to file challenges in Federal Court if necessary,” the union said in a statement issued after Friday’s hearing.

Freight shipments and some major commuter lines across Canada came to a standstill on Thursday when CN and CPKC locked out workers after months of increasingly acrimonious contract talks failed to yield a deal. It marked the first time there were simultaneous work stoppages at the railways. Source :Canadian Press August 24/24