Customer Advisory: Canadian Railways CPKC & CN Announce Lockout

August 20, 2024

As reported by media outlets, two of Canada’s major Class I railroads, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and Canadian National (CN), are engaged in ongoing labor disputes with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC). CN announced that if a resolution is not reached through negotiation or binding arbitration, they plan to lock out TCRC employees starting on August 22, 2024.

On Sunday, August 18, CN and the TCRC held another negotiation, and the two parties could not come to an agreement. CN has issued a 72-hour lockout notice to TCRC. The CN is preparing for a work stoppage on August 22 at 00:01 EST.

CN connects Vancouver in the west and Halifax in the east to the port of New Orleans in Louisiana. CPKC operates the only single-line rail network that connects Canada, the US, and Mexico. The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) ruled that no rail services need to be maintained during a strike or lockout. However, if the rail network is shut down, the potential halt of rail freight traffic in Canada could be a serious and immediate concern.

For more information, please see the JOC.com articles below:

• Potential strikes could upset muted trucking outlook
• CIRB ruling means Canadian rail strike could happen on August 22

APL Logistics is actively monitoring this situation as it continues to evolve. We will provide updates as needed. If you have any questions, please contact your APL Logistics representative.

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The APL Logistics group of companies has a global network covering all major markets and is backed by a multinational workforce. APL Logistics Ltd is a member of the Kintetsu World Express group, a global logistics services provider. For more information, visit www.apllogistics.com, email us at global_marketing@apllogistics.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.