Federal Government is stepping in to get trains moving again

Binding arbitration is good news for the Canadian Western Short Line Railway.

Andrew Glastetter, General Manager of the Great Western Railway of Saskatchewan and President of Western Canadian Short Line Railway said if the strike were to continue the railway would have to face big issues.

“We’re still doing some limited operations on our own rail lines because we have a few supply cars available,” said Glastetter. “That’s really only going to last us for about a week or so, then after that we’ll have no more capabilities to service our customers.”

Glastetter said no layoffs would’ve happened but shifts would have slowed down.

According to the Canadian Press, the federal government is stepping in to get trains moving again after a lockout by Canada’s two largest rail companies.

Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon is using his powers in the Labour Code to ask the Canada Industrial Relations Board to impose binding arbitration.

MacKinnon says he’s also asked the board to order Canadian National Kansas City and Canadian National Railway to resume operations.

Roughly one billion dollars in goods are hauled every day by the rail companies and the lockout had the potential to have a massive impact on the North American economy.

Earlier today, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said the confidence and supply agreement his party has with the Liberals would end if the minority government introduces back-to-work legislation that hinges on a confidence vote.

— with files from 650 CKOM’s Will Mandzuk