SASKATOON—As Ottawa steps in to get freight trains moving again, Saskatoon workers have been raising visibility at the city's rail yard.
Like train conductors, over 100 workers in Saskatoon keep the rail yard in operation. Only managers are left working at the rail yard located in the Sutherland neighbourhood.
One of the workers said there had been a "culture of fear" in their workplace as they were sometimes threatened with being written up and issued memos.
Using his Labour Code powers, Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon says he has asked for binding arbitration to resolve the dispute that has resulted in the unprecedented lockout by the country's two largest railways.
MacKinnon asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board to impose final, binding arbitration involving the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference union, Canadian National Railway Co., and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd.
MacKinnon said he has also asked the board to order the railways to resume operations under the terms of the current collective agreements until new deals are in place. He said collective bargaining is the best way to resolve such disputes, but the lockout affects all Canadians.
— With files from The Canadian Press
