OTTAWA, Ontario — Unifor, Canadian’s largest private-sector union, is calling on Canadian National Railways to prioritize passenger operations — and for more government oversight of the relationship between freight and passenger service — in the wake of restrictions CN has placed on VIA Rail Canada corridor trains in Ontario and Quebec.
“This is about CN stepping up to fulfil its obligations to all rail users,” Unifor National President Lana Payne said in a press release. “Passenger rail must be prioritized to ensure that services like VIA Rail can operate safely and efficiently.”
VIA does not have the statutory right of preference created in the U.S. for Amtrak trains (although Amtrak argues that preference is often not observed, as indicated in a current Surface Transportation Board proceeding over the Sunset Limited and a Justice Department suit against Norfolk Southern). Given minimal government oversight, Unifor says CN has a duty to work more effectively with passenger operators.
“CN’s responsibility goes beyond sending notifications—it must actively facilitate a rail system that accommodates all users,” Payne said. “As the owner and primary manager of these tracks, CN has a duty to ensure that passenger services are not compromised.”
CN earlier this month imposed restrictions on VIA’s new Siemens-built passenger equipment for corridor service, saying there were issues with the trainsets activating grade-crossing warning devices. As a result, trains must slow from maximum speeds of 160 kilometers per hour (99 mph) to 72 kph (45 mph) when approaching some grade crossings to give the engineer time to provide visual confirmation crossing gates have activated [see “VIA Venture slowdown limited …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 17, 2024]. Corridor trains are running an hour or more late as a result.
The union says the issue shows CN’s “dominant control over Canada’s rail infrastructure, impacting passenger rail service,” and that the Canadian government needs to reassert regulatory oversight to prevent freight railroads from sidelining passenger service.
Unifor represents some 320,000 workers, including mechanical and other non-operating personnel at both CN and CPKC, and maintenance, on-board personnel, and other workers at VIA Rail Canada.
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