UPDATE: 3/22/2022—Employees will return to work at noon on March 22, after an agreement was reached between CP Rail and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, which ended a two-day lock-out.
UPDATE: 3/21/2022—There has been no resolution since CP Rail issued its 72-hour notice. Therefore, the lock-out officially began on Sunday, March 20. This may cause large delays and possible re-routing of cargo to other West Coast ports.
Canadian Pacific Railway (CP Rail) has given the proper 72-hour notice of its intentions to lock-out employees, beginning on Sunday, March 20, 2022. CP Rail and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) have until that time to resolve the disputes that have led to this, or CP Rail will be operationally shut down.
Earlier this month, the Teamsters had voted overwhelmingly to approve a strike as early as March 16. However, without the formal 72-hour notification from either them or CP Rail, it could not actually take place. Now that this requirement has been fulfilled by CP Rail, the action has become more likely.
CP Rail is one of two major rail operators in Canada and plays a significant role in transporting inbound containers from the Port of Vancouver to inland hubs in the U.S.—mainly in the Midwest. If unable to operate, this would cause large delays and possible re-routing of cargo to other West Coast ports already struggling with their own congestion.
We will continue to monitor the situation and advise of any significant changes. Please contact your Mohawk Global representative for potential impacts on your specific shipments.