Arbitrator imposes new three-year contract between CN Rail and Teamsters

CN Rail and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) have a new collective agreement in place after a binding arbitration ruling by an arbitrator.

The three-year deal, which covers about 6,000 conductors, yard coordinators, conductor trainees and locomotive engineers across CN’s Canadian network, is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2024, and runs through Dec. 31, 2026. It includes an annual wage increase of three per cent and does not require ratification.

CN said it was disappointed a negotiated agreement wasn’t reached, but is pleased to move forward.

“CN also remains committed to modernizing the collective agreement for the benefit of employees, customers, and the North American economy,” the company said in a statement.

The TCRC said it never intended for the bargaining process to end in binding arbitration, but that CN’s demands throughout negotiations were “completely unacceptable.”

“The company would not relent on what it considered necessary operational changes, primarily resulting from reforms in government regulation,” the union said. “The TCRC could never agree to these concessionary demands that encroached on the rights of you, the TCRC members at CN.”

The arbitration hearing took place April 2 in Toronto, following mediation sessions in March that failed to produce an agreement.