1. FriscoCharlie

    FriscoCharlie Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Any word on the strike? News reports indicate that shippers are looking elsewhere for transport of their products and auto parts manufacturers are sending employees home.

    Charlie
     
  2. LadySunshine

    LadySunshine TrainBoard Member

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  3. Milne

    Milne TrainBoard Supporter

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    Contrary to what CN management says, the strike is having an effect. Overall freight car loads is down 14% and container traffic is down 26%. CN has cancelled some trains including 182 & 183. GM of Canada advises that "they are no longer using CN". In our area, there are fewer CN trains. The Belleville yard is full of bad order cars, and this morning there were four eastbounds blocking the north main, just waiting their turn to go into the yards. Apparently one re crew showed up for work, and sat in their train (didn't move) their complete shift. In Oshawa at the CN auto yard, I did not see any movement at all. In St. Thomas, new vehicles are being parked in fields waiting for auto racks. In Oshawa, they have plowed the snow off the land surrounding the airport, and are parking new cars there till the strike is over. According to the CN fellows in our area, they are not concerned about wages, benefits etc, but the discipline process CN management is using. One worker was fired because his finger nails were too long. Workers who submit safety complaints are suspended. The replacement workers are non Canadians brought in from outside the country - a great way to loose public support and get the Canadian labour movent behind the strike. Many union members are now refusing to handle any strike goods. (product delivered by CN)Apparently safety is so bad that the engineers in Winnipeg may walk off the job next week.
    There is a web site that has more info on the strike - www.cnstrike.com
    If anyone is interested, I could post a few newspaper articles related to the strike.
     
  4. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Last date on the strike web page is March 4th. Any further updates? Any info in those news articles that were mentioned?

    Am also wondering, as the two railroads seem to be in close proximity, at various points, has anything moved over to CP?

    Boxcab E50
     
  5. Milne

    Milne TrainBoard Supporter

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    Canadian National Railway was down 84 cents to $50.75 after it suggested 5,000 striking employees agree to a cooling-off period and return to work while negotiations resume. (Toronto Star 2003/03/11)
     
  6. Milne

    Milne TrainBoard Supporter

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    ACL and Maersk containerlines will no longer use the port of Halifax. According to a report in the Journal of Commerce "the two lines are not happy with the poor service."
    The strike is having an effect on carloads. Prior to the strike Halifax train lengths were 2.74 km long. Now they average 1.52 km. Also, CN shares fell 57cents yesterday.
    When CN went from a public to a private company, Halifax expressed concern that a private railway would not maintain the same level of service. Looks like they were correct.
     
  7. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Ouch. This sounds like a mess that will take years to repair. If that is even possible.

    [​IMG]

    Boxcab E50
     
  8. Milne

    Milne TrainBoard Supporter

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    CN Rail, union reach tentative deal to end strike
    Last Updated Mon, 15 Mar 2004 10:27:18
    MONTREAL - Canadian National Railway (TSX:CNR) reached a tentative deal with the union representing about 5,000 unionized workers who have been on strike since Feb. 20, the two sides announced Monday.




    The CAW said the new deal includes a 3 per cent wage increase in each year of the three-year agreement. All strikers will also get a $1,000 return-to-work bonus.

    The deal also includes some improved health care benefits and shift work premiums, and a return to a discipline system that was in place before January 1, 2001.

    The striking shop-craft, intermodal and clerical workers remain off the job pending the result of a ratification vote this week.

    The employees went on strike after rejecting a proposed contract that would have provided wage and benefit increases of 9.7 per cent over three years. Union leadership had recommended acceptance of that deal.

    CN also said it has reached a new deal with 400 unionized intermodal truck drivers represented by the CAW. The truck drivers were not on strike.


    Written by CBC News Online staff
     
  9. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Does this now need to go to the union members for a vote? Hope it means back to work.

    And now to repair relations with the shippers...

    Boxcab E50
     
  10. Milne

    Milne TrainBoard Supporter

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    Friday, March 19, 2004
    Press release: CAW members vote "yes" to tentative agreements
    Members of the Canadian Auto Workers’ Union have voted to accept tentative agreements reached by their union with Canadian National Railway last Monday.

    The vote puts an end to a four-week strike by 5,000 workers against CN Rail. The strike was launched on February 20 and affected CN operations from Vancouver to Halifax.

    Members of CAW Local 100 (shopcraft workers) voted 69 % in favour of the agreement, while members of CAW Council 4000 (clerical, customer service, and intermodal yard workers) voted 81% in favour.

    In a joint statement, Local 100 president Bryon DeBaets and Council 4000 president Rick Johnston thanked workers for supporting the union’s recommendation.

    “We are tremendously proud of the struggle and sacrifices made by our members and their families over the past four weeks,” they said. “Through your efforts, we have shown the management of this railway that commercial success is not enough. The workers, who are the authors of that success, must be treated with dignity and respect.”

    Johnston and DeBaets also warmly thanked the 400 owner-operators (intermodal truck drivers who are also CAW members) for honouring picket lines and incurring financial hardship throughout the work stoppage even though they were not yet in a legal strike position. Owner-operators are currently voting on their own contract settlement, also reached last Monday. They also thanked members of other CN unions for supporting the strike in a variety of ways.

    Striking workers will begin returning to work commencing with the day shift on Saturday, March 20.
     
  11. rsn48

    rsn48 TrainBoard Member

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    Maybe the CN stock will go back up now...lol.
     
  12. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Will shippers who have switched to non-rail transport also willingly, quickly, return to CN?

    [​IMG]

    Boxcab E50
     
  13. Johnny Trains

    Johnny Trains Passed away April 29, 2004 In Memoriam

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    How large is CN compared to CP?
     
  14. Milne

    Milne TrainBoard Supporter

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    Track in North America - CN 28,000 km, CP 17,600 km. These web sites have company statistics and a little history of the railway. There are a few historic photos as well. www.cn.ca & www8.cp.ca
     
  15. Robin Matthysen

    Robin Matthysen Passed Away October 17, 2005 In Memoriam

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    That's an interesting link Milne.
    I have heard from a couple of truckers who tell me that the strike brought them more business and they have really given good customer service so their business is keeping customers who have not gone back to CN.
    Business just can't afford to be out of the loop these days when JIT is so important.
     
  16. Milne

    Milne TrainBoard Supporter

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    Strike cost railway $35 million, says CN

    The Canadian Press

    Wednesday, March 24, 2004

    MONTREAL - Canadian National Railway estimates its operating profit was cut by between $35 million and $40 million in the current quarter because of the month-long strike by 5,000 workers represented by the Canadian Auto Workers.

    Claude Mongeau, chief financial officer, said in a conference call with analysts Tuesday, after stock markets closed, that the strike will reduce net earnings by eight to 10 cents per share.

    "That's a significant amount of growth that's taken away from our year-over-year growth."

    He said the railway should end up with about the same or slightly better profit as in the first quarter a year ago, 69 cents per share, despite the strike and the effects of the higher Canadian dollar and higher fuel costs.

    "If we come in with this guidance we'll be very pleased," said Mongeau.

    He said the money saved by not paying the striking clerical, customer service and yard employees was offset by the costs of extra security, legal expenses, paying some retirees to work as replacements, and the $1,000 lump-sum payment to each worker as part of the new contract ratified last week.

    Looking forward, Mongeau said CN has hedged 57 per cent of its fuel costs this year, which will help protect it from oil price spikes.

    CN shares (TSX:CNR) gained 66 cents to $51.21 on Tuesday.

    © The Edmonton Journal 2004
     

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