CN Reaches Tentative Deal with Teamsters, Workers to Return to Work on Wednesday

Act now: review the agreement-in-principle and prepare for a midweek resumption of duties across key corridors. CN has secured an agreement-in-principle that brings essential staff and the country’s freight ecosystem closer to a midweek resumption, removing weeks of pressure around headlines.

Written confirmation outlines a phased resumption of duties for employees across corridors, including the brampton freight line and grain routes, as well as cpkcs corridors, to minimize disruption to goods and grain movements.

november headlines highlighted pressure from grain-growers and the brampton-based shippers, as winter approaches and a line worth a billion dollars in freight is at stake for goods and grain movements.

garneau’s comments on national transport policy underscore the need for a measured pause and a plan to continue operations without escalation; a landmark signoff is expected as the parties sign a formal document that frames both the pause and the effort to continue operations, a plan designed to calm a country watching the freight network, including the grain line and the cpkcs axis.

Analysts argue that a clear, written framework could stabilize the winter period, protect a billion-dollar freight arc, and keep the grain line moving among grain-growers, the brampton hub, and other origin-destination points across the country.

CN Rail and union tentative agreement details and steps to resume operations on Wednesday

Plan a staged restart after a 72-hour pause, featuring clear milestones to minimize disruption across the west corridor. Know that the aim is to keep grain flows moving and to avoid bottlenecks before winter; governments, industry, and capital partners will share forecasts and data to guide decisions.

Key steps include: sign off on safety procedures and staffing; post readiness checks using a dedicated device network; then run dry runs to verify signals and yard movements; the plan opens five priority routes first, and other corridors will be phased in as conditions allow; times will be defined for each corridor to minimize risk and traffic carried at a reduced level initially to protect jobs and service reliability.

Governance will be coordinated among governments and industry groups, planning stays in touch at regular intervals. The partnership must align around priorities from november signoffs, and there is confidence that the post-disruption period can proceed without repeating the worst times; retour monitoring and updated inputs will be posted to industry channels as plans develop. There remains a strong emphasis on keeping shippers informed and avoiding unnecessary costs, while always ensuring safety and efficiency across all modes of transport.

Scope of the agreement: pay, benefits, job protections, and work rules

Recommendation: outline a compact, written package that codifies pay, benefits, job protections, and operating rules in a single document that the federation and local chapters publish for city operations and the network alike, so partners can act together. Some provisions cover conductors and other frontline staff across tracks, miles, and goods delivery, and a billion-dollar fund supports health, retirement, and extended coverage. The outline is meant to be accessible to the commons at house hubs and remote sites so those being redeployed have clear protection. Reaching this last point requires input from liberals and unions in the city; thank participants for their diligence. Reaching agreement on thats last point should guide discussion and the list below, which can be revisited again. There were earlier drafts, yet this outline remains the starting front for the outline, there that have yet to be finalized.

1. Pay and compensation
   • Base scales by job class; annual increments of 3% or CPI-based, whichever is greater, to ensure last year’s gains are preserved.
   • Overtime and shift differentials: There is 1.5x after 40 hours weekly; double-time for designated holidays; plus a remote-route premium of 5% for operations on remote corridors; miles logged on such routes qualify for that premium.
   • Remote-route incentives: additional bonuses tied to delivery cadence and reliability, written into the local schedule and posted for all to see.
   • Retention and progression: a billion-dollar fund dedicated to retention bonuses for critical roles, with clear, written criteria and front-end approval at the local level.
   • Payment cadence: wages issued biweekly; adjustments posted in a published list and stored in the local records for accessibility and transparency.
2. Benefits and retirement
   • Health, dental, and vision coverage on a shared-cost model; employer contribution anchored to plan choice, not less than a baseline level.
   • Prescription coverage, mental-health support, preventive care, and family benefits included; additional wellness programs funded through the federation network.
   • Retirement options: defined-benefit or hybrid plans; annual contribution targets supported by a dedicated fund; a reserve that totals in the billions supports future liabilities.
   • Paid time off and leave: a minimum of 15 days per year, sick leave, family leave, and carryover rules published in the written document.
   • Education and training: tuition assistance and career development to help local staff pursue advanced roles on the tracks and in yard operations.
3. Job protections
   • Seniority preserved during downturns; no unilateral layoffs for a 12-month window after ratification, subject to operational needs; bumping rights to open posts in the same tracks and roles exist.
   • Redeployment safeguards: job security for conductors and local staff touched by redeployment; redeployment procedures defined, with training opportunities and cross-training options; those in remote facilities have pathways back to home bases.
   • Grievance and dispute resolution: a clear, timely process for concerns, with written decisions and the right to appeal to a federation-level panel if needed.
   • Safety and whistleblower protections: anonymity options and protection against retaliation for reporting issues in the commons and on the network.
4. Operating rules
   • Scheduling and rest: minimum rest periods, maximum daily shifts, and fair distribution of peak periods across locals; frontline crews operate under a common scheduling framework.
   • Remote assignments standards: defined roles and boundaries for remote postings, with clear expectations about availability and on-site presence; all rules posted publicly and updated as needed.
   • Attendance and discipline: clear guidelines; progressive discipline; written notices in the front office; local leadership issues any corrective steps.
   • Safety and compliance: mandatory training, incident reporting, and regular audits to ensure rules apply across districts; house and city operations share a single source of truth via the federation network.

Return-to-work timeline: date, onboarding, and shift resumption

Start onboarding in november at the place where industry operations restart; remote briefings set the stage within the two-week ramp, alongside on-site orientations.

During the period between november 15 and november 29, the party overseeing railways, government, and industry announced a combined timetable; canadians, city residents, and farmers can follow the plan, session types split between remote modules and on-site coaching.

Onboarding includes platformed digital modules and practical drills for crews along the railway corridors, accompanied by remote exercises and on-site coaching.

Shift resumption commences after onboarding, within the two-week duration, as initial railside runs take place in the city yards; platformed services connect major hubs along the railway.

Officials say the timetable aims to restore services soon, aligning canadians with rail routes in november, while farmers along lines and city authorities provide feedback to government channels.

Impact on customers and shipments: service levels, scheduling, and communications

Recommendation: Implement a written daily update cycle for customers and carrier partners, posted each morning by 8:00 local time, to preserve service levels and protect revenue while the situation clarifies. The updates are essential for customers and carrier partners; they include farmers, shippers, and canadians who rely on timely information, staying aligned.

Prioritize only high-value freight and essential shipments to minimize the impacting of delays on communities and customers. Maintain normal service levels despite strain; some members of unions may be struggling to maintain schedules, and thats why a two-week forecast and an unlimited escalation path for urgent freight are included to keep canadians and local businesses moving. Morning update windows help align expectations on both sides.

Adopt a shared scheduling approach: establish a single line of communication for all updates, posted daily; include written notices of any changes. The two-week outlook minimizes surprises, and teams in brampton and alberta will benefit from consistent morning calls to confirm loads and timelines.

Communications will be centralized via a written channel and a dedicated call number; numbers posted clearly and updated daily. Customers and carriers know they can rely on the same source for status, and thats why this approach prioritizes a single, authoritative feed. The york office will help canadians track progress and respond to inquiries, getting timely updates.

intervention protocol: when deviations exceed thresholds, levasseur from the york desk leads direct calls to shippers; brampton and alberta teams coordinate on alternate lanes; this local approach helps canadians in the two-week window and reduces revenue risk.

Outcome targets include preserving revenue across a typical week while keeping customers informed; the plan also accounts for potential delays and sets expectations for farmers, members, and local shops across york, brampton, and canadians markets. This plan also draws on years of experience to provide a steady, two-week horizon and a clear line of sight for all parties, and it offers more transparency for unions and drivers on morning, call, and written updates.

Safety, training, and compliance during transition

Today implement a 72-hour transition safety plan that prioritizes training, equipment verification, and compliance to prevent backlog and minimize disruption.

An edition of a safety newsletter will circulate clear conditions, posted checklists, and a concise explanation of duties for each shift, reducing days of confusion without adding steps.

A minister of operations will oversee honest engagement, coordinate a union liaison, and ensure the exclusive letter reaches frontline staff; progress is tracked over the week.

Platformed training modules enable unlimited practice across shifts, distribute an edition for reference, and create an honest experience pathway, reducing backlog across sites.

Assets worth billion dollars are covered by regulatory powers; the plan includes a 72-hour post-briefing review to ensure compliance and posted results today.

Thanks to united input from the union, the platformed approach sustains a clear, honest process; feedback from the last week informs the next edition, becoming a favourite reference for staff during winter operations.

Step	Action	Owner	Timeframe	Expected Outcome
1	Distribute safety edition; circulate posted checklists; brief staff	Safety lead	0-24 hours	Staff awareness
2	Verify equipment and site conditions; prepare for backlog clearance	Facilities supervisor	24-48 hours	Prepared premises
3	Establish union liaison; deliver exclusive letter to frontline	Operations minister	48-72 hours	Enhanced dialogue
4	Deploy platformed training modules; enable unlimited practice	HR Training	72 hours	Skilled teams ready
5	Post-briefing review; verify compliance; address backlog as needed	Compliance officer	End of week	Closed backlog

Next steps: ratification, monitoring, and enforcement of the deal

Recommendation: Launch a weeklong public ratification process and publish a line-by-line summary in the place where labor groups and company representatives can review everything; ensure the government and local authorities coordinate, and public feedback is collected in real time.

Monitoring plan: Establish printable metrics tracked by a cross-border network and local teams; weekly updates in plain language cover traffic patterns, morning volumes, and conditions affecting shipments, including wheat and other commodities. The most critical metrics include on-time events, dwell times, and the status of operations across canadian facilities.

Enforcement framework: Create a compliance mechanism anchored in legislation and local rules; noncompliance triggers predefined remedies, and there will be periodic reviews in november to adjust penalties or relief. Affected parties can escalate issues to government authorities and company leadership, ensuring timely action and minimizing disruption to network operations.

Timeline and accountability: The sides should align on a november deadline within the next four weeks for formal acceptance and publish a public line that notes progress against milestones. The government will publish a weekly status line; most progress will be tracked in the morning reports from pacific ports and canadian hubs. The process should be sensitive to traffic patterns and local conditions so that schedules remain stable for the west coast, the prairie states, and other routes.

Communication and transparency: They should maintain a transparent communication line across all stakeholders; noted updates should populate the network, and line-level details must reach canadian localities to prevent surprises. Everyone involved should think through the ripple impact on jobs, traffic, and the broader operations network; the goal is to minimize disruption, ensure safe conditions, and keep everything aligned across western and pacific corridors.