Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday (Aug. 21) urged the country's two major railway companies and the Teamsters union to resolve their dispute and avoid a shutdown that could cost the economy billions of dollars.
Speaking from Quebec, Trudeau said, “It is in the best interest of both parties to continue working hard at the negotiating table to reach an agreed settlement.”
However, the chances of a last-minute deal appeared to be dashed when Canadian National (CN) Railway reported talks had broken down and asked the government to intervene.
CN Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) have warned of a work stoppage for their employees as early as Thursday (8/22) unless a new deal is reached. This would be an unprecedented event, as the two companies have never shut down their operations simultaneously.
Talks between the two companies and the union have produced little progress, with each side accusing the other of bad faith. (uh/lt)
