Canada rail workers union to challenge government decision to refer dispute to labour board

MONTREAL - The union representing workers at two major Canadian railways said on Friday they would challenge the constitutionality of a government decision to refer their labour dispute to a national board, even as some of their members returned to work.

Workers at Canadian National Railway returned to work on Friday, while a lockout at rival Canadian Pacific Kansas City has yet to be officially lifted after the Canadian government moved in on Thursday to end an unprecedented rail stoppage.

Canada's top two railroads had locked out more than 9,000 unionized workers on Thursday, triggering a simultaneous rail stoppage that business groups said could inflict hundreds of millions of dollars in economic damage.

That led Canada's Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to ask the Canada Industrial Relations Board to issue a back-to-work order.

The CIRB, which is an independent body, will now consult the companies and unions before issuing an order.

Teamsters spokesperson Chris Monette said by phone that the union would be challenging the constitutionality of the minister's referral, without giving more details.

Monette said conductors, locomotive engineers and other workers from CN would be returning to the job on Friday, although the union had not received any back-to-work protocol from the railway.

"The return to work will be chaotic this morning," he said.

Monette said members from Canadian Pacific Kansas City would not be back at work as the railway had not yet ended the lockout.

The railroad said late on Thursday that it was preparing to restart operations in Canada and that further details on timing would be provided once it received the CIRB's order.

The two railroads, along with a Canadian government spokesperson were not immediately available for comment. REUTERS