There have been no serious backlogs yet at Canadian container ports as the Canadian National Railway strike enters its seventh day, but the harsh winter of 2017-18 showed that once a disruption occurs, congestion mounts rapidly.
Labor
Labor
Coverage of railroad shipping jobs, unions, strikes and more.
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News & Analysis
19 Nov 2019
Canadian National Railroad said it will continue talks with the Teamsters Canadian Rail Conference despite the union’s decision to launch a strike at 12.01 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday.
30 May 2018
Less than 24 hours after engineers and conductors walked out and joined the picket line, Canadian Pacific Railway reached a tentative, four-year deal with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference.
20 Apr 2018
On the recommendation of federal mediators, the Canadian Minister of Labor directed the Industrial Relations Board to administer a ratification vote of Canadian Pacific Railway's final offer to the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. The two unions described the situation as a "postponed strike" in a strongly worded statement urging their members to reject the offer.
17 Apr 2018
Shippers gave railroads poor marks on its latest quarterly report, according to a Cowen & Co. survey. More than 50 percent of shippers did not have a favorable review of service since January 1, as railroads struggled to handle the additional spillover freight from the US truck sector. Railroads blamed inclement weather and say better times are ahead. Shippers and lawmakers argue the problems are deeper.
29 May 2017
North American intermodal shippers using Canadian National Railway’s Canadian network are preparing for potential delays.
11 May 2016
Far-reaching regulation will affect many smaller U.S. transport operators, shippers as well as large companies.
30 Sep 2015
The great swell in U.S. transportation, warehousing and utility jobs receded in July after hitting historic heights in April and May, but demand for workers remains strong in a complex employment market. Hiring numbers, and separations, continue to rise.
16 Jul 2015
Transportation and warehousing businesses and utilities can't hire enough workers to fill available positions, as moderate economic growth in the U.S. generates strong demand for employees ready and willing to move freight.
21 Apr 2015
The number of job openings for transportation, warehouse and utility workers rose sharply from a year ago in February, as a milder winter created more opportunities in logistics businesses.
13 Mar 2015
The number of job openings in the U.S. transportation and warehousing industries increased 23 percent year-over-year in January, but businesses in those industries lost more workers than they hired that month, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show.
20 Feb 2015
Canadian National Railway said it will lock out 4,800 union workers, some of whom are tied to its intermodal services, on Monday night if Unifor doesn’t agree to accept binding arbitration this weekend.
15 Feb 2015
CSX Transportation has warned that the strike by more than 3,000 Canadian Pacific Railway locomotive engineers and conductors could affect shipments to and from Canada.
15 Feb 2015
A Teamsters union representing more than 3,000 Canadian Pacific Railway locomotive engineers and conductors walked off the job after failing to reach an agreement by the midnight deadline on Feb. 14.
11 Feb 2015
Canadian intermodal shippers could see a reduction in Canadian Pacific Railway service if a union representing 3,300 locomotive engineers, conductors and train workers follow through with their threat to strike later this week if the railroad doesn’t meet their contract demands.
23 Jan 2015
Canadian National Railway turned down a request by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference to extend the current conciliation process by 60 days, saying additional time isn’t required to reach an agreement.
02 Dec 2014
The U.S. trucking industry is committing to hire 100,000 military veterans over the next two years to fight a shortage of truck drivers as the military begins to reduce the number of active service members.
25 Nov 2014
The International Transport Workers' Federation is battling with the Panama Canal Authority, accusing the PCA of trying to shut down a tugboat captains' union in advance of the canal's expansion.
13 Nov 2014
Road and city drivers at a FedEx Freight terminal in Newark, N.J., voted against joining the Teamsters union — the second victory for FedEx Freight in four elections.
28 Oct 2014
Employees at two Con-way Freight terminals in Southern California rejected the Teamsters while those at another voted for the union. The company could face more elections.
03 Oct 2014
Trucking employment bounced back after the dog days of August, climbing 2.3 percent year-over-year in September as the U.S. labor market showed surprising strength.
09 Sep 2014
The U.S. intermodal sector has experienced significant growing pains, ranging from more concentrated discharge of import cargo at marine terminals to a deterioration in rail service. The inability of motor carriers to attract enough drivers to handle growth in demand also puts pressure on the so-called first and last miles of the intermodal legs.
19 Jun 2014
Rail freight traffic is facing further disruption across France as a strike by rail workers extended to a ninth day, but an end to the stoppage is in sight amid waning support for the walkout.
16 Jun 2014
Rail freight traffic is being seriously disrupted across France and to and from the nation’s seaports as a strike by rail workers entered its sixth day with no sign of a settlement in sight.
23 Mar 2014
The union representing about 3,000 conductors and train and railyard workers at Canadian National Railway agreed late yesterday to restart labor contract negotiations with the railroad and accept final and binding arbitration if a deal can’t be reached.
21 Mar 2014
The union representing about 3,000 conductors and train and railyard workers at Canadian National Railway could strike as soon as March 22 after rejecting a tentative agreement yesterday.
07 Mar 2014
LONG BEACH, CALIF. — The transportation and logistics industry is dealing with “significant” issues surrounding human capital and succession planning...
06 Feb 2014
Canadian National Railway and a union representing about 3,000 conductors, train and railyard workers at the railroad reached a new tentative labor agreement last night, averting a strike threatened to begin Feb. 8.
06 Dec 2013
Transportation and warehousing employment spiked in November, as the U.S. economy added 203,000 jobs, dropping the national unemployment rate to 7 percent.
26 Nov 2013
Flagship Logistics Group is looking for a few good people to staff its new customer contact center in Indianapolis: veter
22 Oct 2013
Transportation and warehousing businesses added 23,000 jobs in September, mostly in transit and passenger transportation, as total nonfarm employment increased by 148,000 jobs, the U.S. Labor Department said on Oct. 22.
15 Oct 2013
The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, which represents about 3,300 conductors, trainmen, yardmen and traffic coordinators at Canadian National...
23 Sep 2013
U.S. District Court Judge John R. Adams has issued a temporary restraining order in Akron, Ohio, ending a strike by workers with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen...
20 Sep 2013
More than 100 members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen today struck the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway to protest...
06 Sep 2013
A faster-paced economy wasn't evident in the August employment numbers for freight transportation industries.
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Commentary
Clarifying Labor: RLA Should Be TLA