Teamsters Launch Court Appeal of Labour Minister’s Move to End Rail Shutdown

The union representing thousands of rail workers is appealing the federal government’s decision to end a shutdown that halted freight traffic and commuters across the country. In filings to the Federal Court of Appeal, the Teamsters union is challenging a directive for binding arbitration issued to a labour board by Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon following a lockout of 9,300 railroaders. Paul Boucher, president of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, says the action set a “dangerous precedent” that threatens constitutional guarantees around collective bargaining. Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City, along with some industry groups, have said the move ended months of needless uncertainty and subdued supply chain turmoil after the Teamsters rejected requests for arbitration....