AUGUST 2024 7 RAIL TRANSPORTATION (FSWP); the Canadian Experience Class (CEC); and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). To gain entry to Canada via the Express Entry program, all of the eligible candidates—after completing an entry form—receive a score based on specific criteria such as their age, education, work experience, and language skills. Then, for those with the highest score, the Canadian government will (routinely) hold a draw, and those selected are offered the opportunity to apply for permanent residence. One of the key reasons rail workers at both CN and CPKC voted twice in favour of job action is to push the railway companies to include provisions to combat crew fatigue in their collective agreements. As noted, there is a shortage of workers for the railroads. It means that those already working for CN and CPKC work harder and longer hours because there are not enough people to spell them. Both the CN and CPKC have stated in their opening written 2024 statements (and 2023 statements) that they are hiring more people to provide work stress relief. They are being hired, said the railroads, and are being trained effectively, which will provide labour relief. Does anyone wonder where all of these would-be workers are coming from? The North American trades as a whole have been complaining about a lack of qualified personnel in their respective fields—such as plumbing, carpentry, and welding—not to mention such jobs as truck drivers and truck technicians. We assume that the Express Entry system could help alleviate the labour shortcomings. You can say you are hiring and are offering high wages—but does that get you the best people? And is the amount of training received enough? Of course, different railroad worker jobs mean different amounts of training, and it differs by company. As part of an improved offer to the TCRC union in response to the vote to strike, CN proposed several revised work schedules for their employees to mull over: • five days a week at eight hours a day—two consecutive days off with no calls for duty; • four days a week at 10 hours per day—three consecutive days off with no calls for duty; • six days a week at eight hours a day—three consecutive days off with no calls for duty; If we take a look at the above- proposed work schedule for established rail workers, it could suggest that a new CN rail worker might receive between 40 and 48 hours of onthe-job training. The Downside of a Strike Let’s suppose the workers of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference are unable to reach an agreement with CN and CPKC. What then? As noted, they voted in favour of a strike as of May 22, and again on June 29, 2024. All it means, is that the workers are in agreement to strike, but reserve the right to later determine when. If no deal is reached between the workers and the railroads, a work stoppage would disrupt supply chains from Halifax to Vancouver and down through the US Midwest and into the Gulf of Mexico, as both CN and CPKC have railroad lines and partnerships in place across Canada, through the US, and Mexico. The work stoppage would then not only affect the striking workers but also the railroads and their stakeholders. But it would also affect the North American public. A plethora of goods from ore, steel, electronics, automobiles, and food could be impacted. On the plus side, a strike would highlight the importance of the rail industry to the consumer, showing how critical the role of the railway industry is to the health of the Canadian economy and infrastructure. It would also show how important the railroad industry is to the Canadian consumer. And, while the Canadian federal government has already urged parties to continue bargaining in good faith, there is also the possibility of the government later becoming more of an active player in the negotiations. As far as the agricultural industry is concerned, the strike could have multiple negative impacts: • Some 94 percent of Canada’s grain is transported by rail, with a significant portion destined for export markets. Any disruption in rail service—such as the rail work- ers’ strike or last year’s dock work- ers strike that impacted shipments into the ports—could leave grain elevators unable to accept crops from farmers due to limited stor- age capacity; • And if grain elevators are unable to accept crops, it means a delay in payments to farmers. If a farm- Coworker calling for help. Cineberg/iStock/Getty Images Plus photo
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc0MDI3