Arbitration Hearing Between Canadian Railroads and Union Ends With No Decision on Back-To-Work Order

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – AUGUST 21: A Canadian National Railway locomotive pulls a train through the CPKC Waterfront Layover Yard on August 21, 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A labor dispute between Teamsters union members and Canada’s two main rail carriers, Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City, could disrupt supply chains in the United States and Canada. The rail carriers plan to lock out workers at 12:01am on Thursday, if a deal isn’t reached. (Photo by Andrew Chin/Getty Images)

TORONTO (AP) — A workers union and Canada’s two major freight railroads wrapped up a nine-hour arbitration hearing with the Canada Industrial Relations Board. But there was no decision Friday on whether the board would order one of the railroads back to work following a potentially devastating stoppage. The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference filed a 72-hour strike notice Friday morning against Canadian National, while the trains continue to run. Workers at Canadian Pacific Kansas City went on strike on Thursday. The government forced the companies and the union into arbitration. The union plans to challenge the arbitration order and questions whether the industrial relations board has the authority to order them back to work. But the Teamsters said they would follow the board’s order.