The Canadian government has intervened in a labor dispute involving thousands of freight train workers. The deadlock on workers’ contract negotiations could have led to a major economic disruption, impacting goods coming into the United States.
Canada’s two largest railroads, Canadian National and CPKC, locked out more than 9,000 unionized workers on Thursday, Aug. 22. Within hours, the government ordered the railroads to enter binding arbitration.
“Canada’s economy cannot wait for an agreement that has been delayed for a very long time and when there is a fundamental disagreement between the parties,” Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said.
The trains are expected to resume running in a few days.
