CN Strike Update: Lockout over; workers trickle in

MONTREAL — CN Rail lifted its lockout of picketing workers last night, just hours after the House of Commons voted to expedite back-to-work legislation to end a week-long strike by 2,800 yardmen and conductors.

The law forcing United Transportation Union members back to work passed by a vote of 195 to 41. It has since been approved by the Senate and will receive Royal Assent today.

While the law gives the UTU 24 hours to end its job action, CN, which had locked out workers at eight terminals participating in rotating strikes, invited them to return immediately.

Workers are expected to comply.

The United Transportation Union, however said it isn’t giving up without a fight and indicated yesterday it would take CN before the Canada Industrial Relations Board for what UTU leaders say was the railway’s strategy of breaking up the union during negotiations.

“(CN) wants to break up our bargaining unit in order to weaken the workers’ ability to stop management from pushing older workers out of the door and manipulate work rules and schedules at workers’ expense,” the UTU said in a statement.

CN, which may attempt to negotiate regional contracts with union locals, has said that the rift between union factions was already present and stood in the way of the two sides negotiating a reasonable settlement.

A federal arbitrator will be appointed to draft one binding contract between CN and the UTU.