CN strike halts auto ops again; Liberals to support back-to-work bill
ST. THOMAS -- Ford Motor Co. of Canada says it had to once again close its St. Thomas manufacturing plant because of the ongoing strike between CN Rail and 2,800 conductors and switchyard workers. A material shortage and the inability to get car frames transported to the facility has forced the company to shut down the plant, which has been operating on reduced shifts since the strike began. The plant, which makes the Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis and employs 2,300 people, previously suspended production for several days. The company is reviewing the situation on a "day-to-day basis," a spokesman said. Ford relies on CN services more than any other major vehicle manufacturer. The closures at this plant and others in forestry, chemical, and plastics sectors has meant downtime for some truckers and owner-ops; while other carriers with excess capacity are scrambling to move freight left at docks by CN. As promised, federal Labor Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn introduced legislation today to force the striking workers back to their jobs. It will be debated Tues. Feb. 27 and could become law by March 1, Blackburn told reporters. Bloomberg News reports that the back-to-work bill has the support of the opposition Liberal Party. With 125 Conservative government seats in the 308-seat Legislature, the bill would easily pass with the Liberals' backing. The NDP has vowed to oppose the legislation. As politicians prepare to debate the bill, CN and the United Transportation Union continue to negotiate a settlement. Reports earlier this week suggested that a rift among U.S. and Canadian factions in the union have made talks more difficult. Negotiations have reportedly improved today, however. Meanwhile, more UTU members are trickling past picket lines. On Wednesday several hundred rail employees voluntarily went back to work in Atlantic Canada. Today, the Sarnia Observer reports local yardsmen returned to their posts to clear a backlog of freight at Chemical Valley refining facilities. CN says it is allowing UTU members to come back to work, but is not actively encouraging the exodus from the picket lines. -- With files from Bloomberg & and the Sarnia Observer