OTTAWA (Reuters) -The Canadian Teamsters union, which is negotiating a contract with the country’s two largest rail companies, said on Friday a work stoppage could start on Aug. 22 if a deal is not reached.
“The Teamsters will provide 72 hours advance notice in the event of any strike action,” it said in a statement.
The union, Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City agreed last week to restart stalled contract talks with the aid of a federal mediator.
Canada relies heavily on its extensive railway network, given its expansive geography and exports such as grain, potash and coal, and a strike could cause significant economic damage.
In May, the federal government moved to push back a possible strike by asking the country’s labor relations board to look at whether a stoppage might have safety implications.
The board announced on Friday that a strike would not cause immediate or serious danger to the public’s health, a move that formally permitted the union to set a strike date.
In response, Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said in a social media post that “it is the responsibility of unions and employers to negotiate deals at the bargaining table” and called on both sides to keep talking.
(Reporting by David LjunggrenEditing by Chris Reese, Frances Kerry and David Gregorio)
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