(The following story by Chris Sorensen appeared on the Toronto Star website on May 17.)
TORONTO — Thousands of track maintenance workers at Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. have walked off the job across the country, but so far there appears to be relatively few concerns about major service disruptions.
More than 3,200 members of the maintenance of way division of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference went on strike early this morning after contract negotiations with the railroad broke down last month. The workers have been without a contract since Dec. 31.
CP has responded by deploying 1,300 managers to fill in for the striking workers, who are responsible for repairing and maintaining CP’s tracks and bridges.
The railroad has also suspended all capital projects in order to reduce the number of maintenance workers needed to 1,200 from 2,300 currently on active duty.
Unlike a February strike by conductors and yard employees at Canadian National Railway Co. that slowed shipments of grain, chemicals and idled an auto plant in Ontario, several observers have suggested the impact of the strike by CP workers will be minimal.
The reasoning is that the employees who have walked off the job are not directly involved in the operation of CP’s trains.
“We believe that CP has sufficient staff to adequately replace the striking workers, such that the impact on its operations should be minimal,” said John Chu, an analyst at Research Capital, in a note to clients earlier this week.
Others, however, have suggested that an extended strike could have a cumulative impact, delaying important projects and compromising the safety of the network.
Union officials could not be immediately reached for comment.
Talks between CP and the union representing the track maintenance workers broke down last month. CP said it has offered the union pay increases of 10 per cent over three years, but that the union is asking for a 13 per cent increase over the same period. The railway added that its offer is “consistent” with offers to other employee groups.
“The union representing our maintenance of way employees is demanding a package that is 30% more costly than those ratified by our other Canadian unions,” wrote Fred Green, the chief executive of CP in an open letter to employees on the railroad’s website.