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Canada labor board orders end to train work blockage

The Canada Industrial Relations Board bought on Saturday a stop to work stoppages at the country's largest trains, the Teamsters union stated, signaling an end to an unmatched service interruption at both main freight rail carriers. The independent labor tribunal decided after Canada asked it on Thursday to end a deadlock in separate talks in between more than 9,000 Teamsters members, and Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City.

The board's choice is the current twist in the labor disagreements at CN and CPKC, which locked out Teamsters members on Thursday, activating a simultaneous rail blockage that business groups stated could cause numerous countless dollars in financial damage.

Canada, the world's second-largest country by area, relies greatly on trains to transport a large range of products and goods. The disruption might considerably affect farmers and farming companies in both Canada and the United States.

The labor board's choice will avoid a planned strike on Monday at 10 a.m. ET (1400 GMT) by locomotive engineers, conductors and other employees at Montreal-based CN just days after Canada's biggest railway ended a lockout and began restoring service.

Teamsters members stay locked out at CPKC.

The Teamsters union has said it will lawfully comply with any decision from the CIRB, but is prepared to submit obstacles in federal court if necessary.

On Thursday, Canada's Labour Minister, Steven MacKinnon, stated his relocate to refer the matter to the CIRB would survive a. court challenge given his broad power under the nation's labor. code.

The Teamsters union wants its members' working conditions. and pay to be determined by bargaining, regardless of disagreements with CN. and CP over scheduling, shift period and schedule. CN, for. example, desires workers to develop to 12-hour shifts, compared. with 10 hours in the existing agreement, a move opposed by the. union.

(source: Reuters)