Manitoba’s premier says he supports the federal government ordering an end to the lockout that has stalled the nation’s railway system, calling cargo trains a vital economic horse that pulls the social cart.
“Right now, the economic horse is standing still, the longer this thing drags out,” Premier Wab Kinew said at an unrelated event Friday in Lorette.
About 18 hours after Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. locked out some 9,300 members of the Teamsters union early Thursday, the federal labour minister issued a directive for binding arbitration to the Canada Industrial Relations Board.
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES
Members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference union picket outside Symington Yard Thursday. The union filed a 72-hour strike notice against CN Rail Friday.
On Friday, it remained unclear when freight traffic would fully resume. Affected CPKC workers launched a regulatory challenge of Ottawa’s order and remained on strike; Teamsters issued a 72-hour strike notice against CN.
Kinew said he told federal ministers the trains needed to get moving again and having both rail lines in operation is vital — especially now.
“We’re going deeper into harvest season for producers here in Manitoba. Bringing (agriculture) goods to market is absolutely essential for the provincial economy,” the NDP premier said.
“We have so many sectors of the economy that rely on rail to be able to power the jobs in our communities.”
Kinew also expressed concern for the railway workers, as well as the effect of a labour dispute on the economy that funds Manitoba’s social safety net.
“I understand they want better wages, that there are safety and security concerns. I thought that the lockout was an irresponsible step by the companies,” Kinew said.
The premier said it was time for a path forward that is fair to workers and also keeps the economy chugging along.
“There’s still a lack of clarity for the producer who’s wondering what’s going on, for the worker in terms of what’s going to happen to them — and for the rest of us who want an economy running so that we can have predictability around the cost of living, so that we can have the health care and education that we want to be able to be paid for by that economic activity.”
A New Democrat candidate running in the federal Elmwood—Transcona byelection Sept. 16 opposed the back-to-work order, saying protecting workers is most important.
“We’re forcing workers who are feeling unsafe at work to go back to work,” Leila Dance said Friday.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES
Premier Wab Kinew says he supports the federal government ordering an end to the lockout that has stalled the nation’s railway system.
She is vying for the seat vacated by Daniel Blaikie, who resigned to work as an adviser to Kinew’s government.
“The cost of living and the cost of groceries is something everybody is thinking about — I don’t think that should come at the cost of somebody,” said Dance, who walked the picket line Thursday in Transcona with locked-out railway workers, including her brother, who is employed at CN’s Symington Yard.
“I think the government should be going after CN and CP, and ask them to come to the table with a fair offer,” Dance said. “The Liberals and Conservatives have a longstanding history of picking corporations over workers and we need to make sure we’re supporting workers — the everyday person.”
The byelection is seen as a two-way race between Dance and Conservative candidate Colin Reynolds, who did not respond to a request for comment Friday afternoon.
— with files from The Canadian Press
carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Carol Sanders
Legislature reporter
Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol.
Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.