Back-to-Work Bill Introduced in CN Strike

Canada’s labor minister introduced legislation Friday to force striking Canadian National Railway Co. employees back to work next week.

The bill, which has bipartisan support, will be debated Tuesday and is expected to be passed by Thursday, Jean-Pierre Blackburn said. Some 2,800 conductors and yard workers struck Canada’s largest railway Feb. 10 in a dispute over wages and work conditions.

Canadian National welcomed the back-to-work legislation, a spokesman said, adding the railroad and the United Transportation Union were log-jammed on significant issues.

Ford Motor Co. shut down a southwestern Ontario plant that makes Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis cars because of delayed parts shipments, a spokeswoman said Friday.

An estimated 600 CN managers are filling in for striking workers across Canada.

When talks broke off Feb. 9, CN said the union demanded a three-year contract with pay raises of 4.5 percent the first two years and 4 percent the third. CN said striking workers earned an average of $75,000 ($64,663 U.S.) last year, with a quarter of them making more than $90,000 ($77,596 U.S.).