Business

Published: Sunday November 29, 2009 MYT 7:42:00 AM

CN locomotive engineers walk off the job


MONTREAL (AP) - About 1,700 locomotive engineers with Canadian National Railway Co., one of North America's largest railroads, have walked off the job after mediated contract talks collapsed.

CN communications director Mark Hallman said early Saturday that the strike would not affect Via Rail passenger service or commuter rail service in the Montreal area.

Teamsters union spokesman Stephane Lacroix says a strike could have been postponed had the railway agreed to negotiate and not impose a 1.5 percent wage increase and revised mileage caps.

CN invoked contractual changes three days after negotiations broke off Nov. 20 following 14 months of talks. There are no further contract talks scheduled.

  • E-mail this story
  • Print this story