Today’s Trucking - Canada / March 16, 2007
Union strife could railroad CN deal; Teamsters trying takeover
OTTAWA – Former Canadian representatives of the United Transportation Union are trying to scuttle a tentative labor agreement with CN Rail by mounting a Teamsters takeover of the U.S.-based union.
Tim Secord, national legislative director and UTU-Canada’s senior officer, says that he foresees “renewed uncertainty on Canadian and U.S. rail routes” due to inter-union rivalries and opposition from a former Chairperson Rex Beatty, who is said to be campaigning aggressively to have members scuttle the February 24th settlement with CN.
Strike action is currently suspended until a March 26, 2007 ratification vote. Most members have voluntarily returned to work as encouraged by the union. “We’re concerned that both the Teamsters’ raid on our members and former Chairperson Rex Beatty’s opposition to the settlement may mean failure to ratify the February 24 settlement,” said Secord.
With Beatty’s assistance, the Teamsters have applied for certification to the Canada Industrial Relations Board for the right to represent UTU Canada members. “Beatty is telling our guys to vote down the CN Settlement as part of his game plan to take over UTU-Canada. And that could mean more uncertainty for Canadian businesses and all Canadians.”
Full story here