Teamsters will negotiate with CP as long as it takes

The Teamsters Union is doing everything it can to find common ground in order to end the strike...

OTTAWA, May 23, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) is still at the negotiating table in an effort to find common ground with Canadian Pacific (CP) in order to end the strike.

This morning, federal Labour Minister Lisa Raitt reaffirmed what TCRC negotiators have been saying all along: a negotiated settlement is better than a forced one.

"Minister Raitt's comment is consistent with our attitude since the beginning of the negotiations," said TCRC vice-president Doug Finnson. "The Minister wants the parties to continue talking and that's exactly what we're doing."

During the press conference, the Minister did not threaten the Teamsters with back-to-work legislation. She seemed inclined to give the parties time to find common ground.

"CP's management needs to understand that hiding behind the federal government is not going to resolve things," cautioned Mr. Finnson. "Workers health and safety and pensions are serious issues and they (the employer) would be wrong not to settle them."

Fatigue management, work rules and pension plans are at the core of the negotiations. Canadian Pacific is drastically and unfairly trying to cut its workers' pensions while generously improving the retirement benefits of its managers.

"We would like to thank Minister Raitt for her involvement in this matter," said the TCRC vice-president. "For our part, we're prepared to stay at the negotiating table as long as necessary."

The Teamsters Union represents 125,000 members in Canada in all trades. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, with which Teamsters Canada is affiliated, has 1.4 million members in North America.

Stéphane Lacroix, Director of Communications, Teamsters Canada
Office: 450-682-5521 x236
Email: [email protected]