CN, CPKC preparing to restart Canadian operations; union declines to return Sunday (updated)

Red locomotives of CN and CP in yard

Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City are moving toward restarting operations early Monday following a Saturday ruling by the Canada Industrial Relations Board ending the work stoppages at both railroads. The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, however, continues to take issue with the CIRB decision sending the dispute between the union and railroads to binding […]

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Union announces tentative deal for conductors with Amtrak

Passenger train at grade crossing

WASHINGTON — The union representing Amtrak conductors and assistant conductors announced it had reached a new tentative agreement with the passenger operator for a seven-year contract covering more than 2,100 employees. The agreement with the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD) will include a “substantial general wage increase,” the […]

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CSX adds more union agreements

Intermodal train navigating switches

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation announced late today (Friday, Aug. 23) it had reached tentative agreements on new contracts with seven additional unions, after agreeing to pacts with five unions the previous two days. The new contracts shortly after Norfolk Southern and BNSF said they had negotiated similar early contracts with a number of their […]

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NS, BNSF announce tentative pacts with unions

A black locomotive under a silver signal bridge

Norfolk Southern and BNSF Railway said late today (Friday, Aug. 23) they had, in partnership, reached tentative, five-year collective bargaining agreements with a number of their unions. The pacts come four months before the opening of the next round of bargaining and cover approximately 30% of NS’s unionized workforce and 15% of BNSF workers. They […]

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Teamsters Canada issues 72-hour strike notice against CN; lengthy hearing concludes with no action (latest update)

CN intermodal train stopped in mountain setting

The labor situation involving Canadian National Railway, Canadian Pacific Kansas City, and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference remains both active and muddy. Earlier today (Friday, Aug. 23), the TCRC served Canadian National with a 72-hour strike notice, announcing its intent to launch a strike against the railroad at 10 a.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 26. […]

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Why a giant coal merger matters to Class I railroads: Analysis

Black and white locomotives with coal hoppers cresting hill

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Business resiliency and opportunities for CSX and Norfolk Southern to recraft how they do business with two top coal customers makes the announced merger between Arch Resources and Consol Energy important to railroads. Arch and Consol have been major customers to the four big Class I railroads before announcing their intentions to […]

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Canada’s labor minister orders arbitration to end CN, CPKC work stoppages, but union keeps picket lines up (additional update)

Red locomotives of CN and CP in yard

OTTAWA — The Canadian government has moved to end Canada’s freight rail work stoppage — the first to shut down both Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City simultaneously. However, while the two railroads say they are preparing to resume operations after Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon sent the dispute to binding arbitration, the Teamsters Canada […]

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Intramotev shows off autonomous, battery-electric stack car (with video)

ST. LOUIS — Intramotev, the startup company that converts conventional freight cars to battery-electric, self-propelled vehicles, has debuted an autonomous double-stack car. The company showed off the TugVolt well car in a video released this week. The 20-year-old former TTX car carries two 40-foot international containers as it moves independently along trackage in Intramotev’s facility. […]

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Lockouts begin on CN, CPKC

Red locomotives of CN and CP in yard

Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City are now shut down in Canada after locking out Teamsters Canada Rail Conference operating crews beginning at 12:01 a.m. today (Aug. 22) — the first time both railroads have been hit by a work stoppage at the same time. A lockout of CPKC rail traffic controllers began […]

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