In what has so far been a decade of supply chain concerns the biggest one yet could happen as early as tomorrow.
That's when 3000 workers at Calgary based Canadian Pacific could hit the bricks. Both sides had talks planned for this past weekend but neither side is providing an update on the status of those talks. The Teamster's union has said wages, benefits and pensions are the main issues behind the dispute.
The potential of a rail strike in less than 24 hours has many companies and manufacturers deeply concerned, especially those involved with agriculture. Many livestock producers are still relying on shipments of feed following last summer's devastating drought. The Canadian Cattleman's Association said this week, if there's a strike at CP, ranchers will run out of feed in about 2 weeks. Farmers who will be planting a new crop in a matter of weeks are waiting for shipments of fertilizer, very expensive fertilizer. The Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters said a recent survey found 90 percent of their members experienced problems with supply chains in the past year.
Tom Steve, the General Manager of Alberta Wheat and Barley says this potential job action at CP is coming after both major railways got a failing grade in getting prairie grain to port. "Performance of the railways, over the course of this past winter, has been not good. It's been partially shielded by the fact that we had a smaller crop to move. If we had a normal crop, I would say that we would be in a crisis mode, at this point and time. Car order fulfilment by CN and CP has been under 50 percent several weeks in a row."
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