Railroaders place to shoot the shit.

Astrobuck10 · Cured

VIA

Freddie Krueger · Unstable & Irrational

I would like to see a picture of one of those.

Troll · 500 - Internal Server Error

Via Rail faces strike deadline Friday

TORONTO - Via Rail Canada services could halt at the end of this week if the transportation corporation and the union that represents its 340 locomotive engineers don't come to an agreement by noon on Friday, according to the Toronto Star.

Via announced Tuesday that its representatives and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference union are currently in negotiations.

Earlier Tuesday, the union notified Via it intends to strike if there is no settlement by Friday.

The rail service has already cancelled certain long-distance train departures, but has assured that passengers will not be stranded if there is a strike.

No alternative service will be offered if a strike is implemented, but trains on the Sudbury-White River and Victoria-Courtenay routes will stay on track because they are operated by third parties on behalf of Via Rail.

Customers with more questions can contact Via at 888-VIA-RAIL (842-7245) or (800) 268-9503 for the hearing impaired.

(This item appeared in the Star July 22, 2009.)

July 22, 2009

Troll · 500 - Internal Server Error

Via Rail begins canceling some departures of long-distance trains due to possible strike by engineers

(The Canadian Press circulated the following on July 21, 2009.)

MONTREAL Via rail has begun canceling some departures of long-distance trains to ensure passengers are not stranded by a strike by its locomotive engineers.

The 340 engineers, represented by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference union, have set a strike deadline of noon Friday EDT.

A strike, coming at the height of the summer travel season, would be a nightmare for the tens of thousands of people intending to use Via to get to their destinations.

A federal mediator has been appointed to assist in the contract talks in Montreal and VIA says it remains hopeful that an agreement will be reached before the strike deadline.

However, Via says it has already begun canceling certain departures, to prepare for a possible strike.

It is also issuing refunds and rescheduling trips of passengers who bought tickets on trains that would be affected by any labour action.

Without engineers you can't have the trains running, said Via spokeswoman Ashley Doyle.

The railway issued a statement Tuesday evening that it will ensure passengers leaving before noon Friday EDT get to their destinations either by train or by alternate means.

After that, all Via trains will be cancelled, until a settlement is reached, and no alternate transportation will be provided.

Trains on the Sudbury-White River and Victoria-Courtenay routes will remain in service, as they are operated by third parties on Via's behalf

The union's 340 engineers have been without a contract since Dec. 31, 2006.

They're looking for improved wages and benefits, scheduling that allows them two consecutive days off, and increased training schedules for engineers.

Many of the issues related to what we're trying to achieve here are quality-of-life issues, TCRC president Dan Shewchuk told the Globe and Mail.

The union and company both say they're hopeful a deal can be reached.

After the union set its strike deadline, negotiations did move forward Tuesday, only to stumble towards the end of the day, Shewchuk said.

We kind of stepped back, which was unfortunate, Shewchuk added Tuesday night. But we're looking for an early morning refreshed look.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Troll · 500 - Internal Server Error

Via strike looms as talks break off

TORONTO - Talks between Via Rail and the union representing locomotive engineers broke off early Friday morning, hours before the noon ET deadline for a strike at the passenger rail, CBC News reports.

Via Rail Canada posted a notice on its website announcing that negotiations with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference are at an impasse and talks ended at 1 a.m.

The union, which represents about 350 locomotive engineers and yardmasters issued a strike notice on Tuesday.

"Barring a last-minute resolution," all of Canada's national passenger rail services will cease at noon, the Via statement said.

A federal mediator was appointed to assist in the contract talks in Montreal and the two sides had previously maintained they were hopeful an agreement could be reached before the strike deadline.

The locomotive engineers and yardmasters have been without a collective agreement since Dec. 31, 2006.

The union is seeking improved wages, benefits and scheduling changes.

Trains on the Sudbury-White River route in Ontario and Victoria-Courtenay route in B.C., which are operated by third parties, will remain in service.

Canada's tourism industry has said the pending strike, which is scheduled for one of the peak travel periods of the year, will have a ripple effect on businesses, disrupting vacation plans and hurting tourism operators.

Via Rail began to cancel its long-distance passenger routes earlier in the week to avoid having passengers stranded mid-route.

Via trains transport more than 11,000 passengers daily and operates 503 intercity, transcontinental and regional trains each week, linking 450 communities across its 12,500-kilometre route network. Up to 85 percent of its business is between Quebec City and Windsor.

No alternative transportation will be provided during a strike but affected passengers may obtain a refund for any unused tickets.

Greyhound has said it will add buses to its schedules if required during a strike.

Customers seeking more information can consult Via's website or contact Via at 888-VIA-RAIL.

The railway last faced a strike in 1995, when conductors from a different union went on strike for a week.

(This item was distributed by CBC News July 24, 2009.)

July 24, 2009

Freddie Krueger · Unstable & Irrational

Yeah! I think we should have a sympathy strike down here!

BlackDog · Purveyor of Positive Attitudes

Good luck with that. We couldn't even get a sympathy strike on CN America when CN Canada went out on strike and got sold out by UTU.

Troll · 500 - Internal Server Error

BlackDog wrote:

Good luck with that. We couldn't even get a sympathy strike on CN America when CN Canada went out on strike and got sold out by UTU.

I wonder what ever became of UTU Shill "BTNB".

Astrobuck10 · Cured

Heard he's a rank and file Teamster engineer now
and gave his Conductors' grievor post up
to a good looking Conductress.

FMB · Board Modification Mediator

and the mullet.......??

Troll · 500 - Internal Server Error

Hands down, the best mullet in Your UTU.

Troll · 500 - Internal Server Error

Via back on track

TORONTO, Ont. - The end to the nationwide Via Rail strike began only hours after the shutdown began, when the word "arbitration" joined the negotiations, according to the Toronto Globe.

Yesterday, just two days after walking off the job, Via's 340 locomotive engineers were on their way back to work.

Trains started rolling out of major hubs last night, with full service expected to resume by this morning.

"Everyone had said it was going to be a long, long strike," said traveller Christine Malone, 62, waiting for a train to Ottawa at Union Station last night.

The station felt all but deserted, with a few dozen passengers to board the first trains to resume service.

"I'm just glad it's over," Malone said. "I'm really surprised."

The strike ended quickly, not because Via Rail and employees represented by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference union were able to agree on the issues, work schedules and training, but because they disagreed with such certainty that bringing in a third-party seemed the only way out.

The locomotive engineers have been working without a contract since Dec. 31, 2006.

"At a certain point, it becomes clear that a negotiated solution is going to be almost impossible, if not at least very difficult to obtain ... no matter how hard we'd been trying," said Via Rail spokesman Malcolm Andrews.

He said the federally appointed mediator suggested arbitration on Friday, hours after the strike began.

"At that point, it became at least a clear way out, when the mediator proposed it," he said. Politicians also began to weigh in.

On Friday, Transport Minister John Baird said the government was watching closely.

Although he said back-to-work legislation was not being considered, Baird urged both sides to continue to talk with the mediator.

"There's no question that we thought it was in the best interest of Canadians to have the strike solved," said Rob Merrifield, Minister of State for Transport. "Nobody wins in a war."

And by yesterday morning, the two sides had agreed to disagree.

Andrews said Michel Picher will be the federally appointed arbitrator and the process, which could take several weeks, will begin the third week of August.

President Dan Shewchuk said in a statement the union opted for the deal because "there was no possible agreement in the short term."

"The strike may have lasted for weeks or months," said Shewchuk.

Via Rail spent yesterday recalling the 2,000 employees laid off on Saturday. Andrews said Via Rail is also looking for some "innovative and tangible ways" to say sorry to its customers.

(This item appeared July 27, 2009, in the Toronto Globe.)

July 27, 2009

Troll · 500 - Internal Server Error

Strike ends as Teamsters Canada, Via Rail agree to binding arbitration

(Teamsters Canada Rail Conference and Via Rail issued the following joint press release on July 26, 2009.)

MONTREAL VIA Rail Canada and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) have reached an agreement to go into binding arbitration. The parties have also announced that VIA train services will resume Sunday.

"The process proposed by the mediator will allow the parties to resolve outstanding issues and, most importantly, will get Canada's passenger rail service up and running again for our customers," said Paul Côté, VIA's President and Chief Executive Officer.

The TCRC, which represents some 343 locomotive engineers and seven yardmasters at VIA, had been on strike since noon (EDT) on Friday, July 24, 2009.

"The negotiations have been challenging and we appreciate the support shown by our members during this process. We look forward to having our members back on the trains," said Dan Shewchuk, President of the TCRC.

Service will resume starting late on Sunday, with full service on most routes by Monday morning.

Layoffs of other VIA unionized employees prompted by the strike are cancelled.

Service resumption details will be posted at viarail.ca. Customers may also contact VIA at 888 VIA-RAIL (888 842-7245) or 800 268-9503 (hearing impaired).

VIA and the TCRC sincerely regret any inconvenience that this situation may have caused for customers.

About Teamsters Canada

The Teamsters Union represents 125,000 members in Canada in all trades. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, with which Teamsters Canada is affiliated, has 1.4 million members in North America.

About VIA Rail Canada

As Canada's national passenger rail service, VIA Rail Canada provides efficient, environmentally sustainable and cost-effective transportation services to more than 450 communities, with a network of inter-city, transcontinental and regional remote trains operating across the country.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Freddie Krueger · Unstable & Irrational

This will be interesting to watch.

Astrobuck10 · Cured

Freddie Krueger wrote:

This will be interesting to watch.

Pretty short strike. Joe Public's fuse is short right now.
For the engineers, that arbitrator is about the
best that could be hoped for in this case, anyway.

t