(Reuters circulated the following story on January 28.)
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Teamsters Canada said on Thursday that locomotive engineers at Canadian National Railway Co. have approved a strike mandate, although the government has put any job action on hold.
The union said the 1,768 engineers on CN’s lines in Canada are still at odds with the company on issues such as rest break rules. The engineers have been without a contract since the end of 2003.
No talks are scheduled.
CN Rail, Canada’s biggest railway, is also in negotiations with its unionized brakemen and conductors. Chief executive Hunter Harrison said this week he thinks the Teamsters want to watch the outcome of those talks before going back to the bargaining table.
The Canadian Industrial Relations Board is setting essential service levels for the railroad in the event of job action, a move that prohibits either the union or company from launching a work stoppage until the ruling is issued.
The CIRB has not said when it will rule.
The dispute does not involve CN’s engineers in the United States.