Teamsters strike Canadian Pacific

Striking Teamsters in Calgary today.

Some 5,000 Teamsters Canada members today struck the Canadian Pacific railroad, which is demanding concessions on wages and pensions. The Associated Press has the latest word on the strike:

Canada's labor minister strongly suggested Wednesday the government will introduce legislation to end a strike at Canadian Pacific railway that has suspended freight service across the country. 

Teamsters Canada said the strike against Canada's second-largest railway started just after midnight Wednesday. The strike is expected to halt shipments of grain, fertilizer, coal and other goods that Canadian Pacific moves along nearly 14,900 miles (24,000 kilometers) of track in Canada and the U.S.

Teamsters Canada are making sure the commuter lines they operate in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto are still running. In fact we learn from Twitter:

@TeamstersCanada: GoTrain commuter broke down; #TeamstersCanada members took immediate actions and everything is back to normal #CanadianPacific

Follow @TeamstersCanada for updates on the strike. Right now, Teamsters are negotiating with the railroad to end the strike.

The issues they're striking over are all too familiar, according to the Teamsters Canada website:

The parties have been negotiating since October 2011 in an attempt to renew the collective agreements which expired on January 1, 2012. Despite months of bargaining, the railway continues to seek major concessions on pensions, work rules and wages. The Union’s issues concerning fatigue management and work/life balance also remain unresolved. 

Members have voted by a margin of 95% in favour of authorizing their bargaining committee to launch a strike if necessary.

Solidarity, brothers and sisters!