Kamloops CP Rail workers locked out and on strike; work stoppage impact ripples to ranchers

KAMLOOPS — Members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, Division 821 stand on picket lines outside of the CP Rail Yard in Kamloops. According to the union, workers were locked out after negotiations with the company failed to bear fruit by the midnight deadline on March 20.

“21:00 our time — triple-naught one eastern standard time was when we were locked out,” Garth Dmyterko, Local Vice-Chair TCRC Division 821, explains. “We issued strike notice to coincide, shortly thereafter.”

According to a media release issued by the union on Saturday, wages and pension remain as two major issues at the negotiating table. Local Teamsters say they want to maintain their standard of living.

“We’re fighting for quality of life, and that goes right from the top with pensions and benefits — it’s all due to quality of life,” Dmyterko says. “We’re not out here for greed… we just want to maintain what we have, going forward.”

According to a spokesperson with CP Rail, there’s nothing new to report and both sides remain at the negotiating table. Kevin Boon, general manager of the BC Cattlemen’s Association says the interruption to rail service comes at a critical time for producers across Western Canada.

“The rail system is so critical in those core supplies that we need, in that feed and a lot of the fuels, as well,” Boon explains. “We see a lot of oil and gas shipped by rail. All those things are just going to build in an already short-supply scenario.”

Due to difficult conditions last year, some feedlots and producers only have a two-week supply of feed. Boon worries that unless the government steps in to help the two sides reach an agreement, it could mean trouble for Canadian producers.

“There are ways of doing it where they don’t quit negotiating. It’s a matter of — let’s build on this and come up with a solution, but let’s keep the supply chain going.”

For the Teamsters on the picket line, they hope the federal government gives both sides enough time to reach an agreement on their own.

“Last we heard, they were still negotiating,” Dmyterko says. “Hopefully, that’s why the labour minister keeping us where we are and not going back to legislation, just yet. Hopefully, he’s going to let us figure it out ourselves.”