by Manal Barakat, SeaNewsEditor

Canada’s Labour Minister, Steve MacKinnon, declined a request by Canadian National Railway (CN) to invoke a labour law to force acceptance of contract terms, aiming to “secure industrial peace.”

Earlier this month, CN sent a letter to the ministry, asking it to push both sides to accept an agreement and claiming that the union “has not engaged meaningfully at the negotiating table.” 

This letter was rejected by the TCRC union, which has not yet invoked its right to issue a 72-hour notice of strike.

Both Class I railroads, the CN and the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), have stopped accepting containerised freight in anticipation of a potential work stoppage, the Journal of Commerce reports.

This is part of a phased shutdown by rail carriers to manage the impact of a possible strike.

The strikes, which could start as soon as 22 August, will halt cargo transport by rail across the country.

The Port of Vancouver is expected to face immediate impacts, exacerbating an already sizeable intermodal backlog.