Negotiations

September 22, 2023 - All TCRC Local Chairs- CPKC Eastern and Western Regions - Bulletin 1

As you are all aware, the open period of our contract is upon us. Accordingly, on September 1, 2023, we informed the Company of our intent to negotiate and improve the Collective Agreement. On September 19, 2023, along with TCRC President Paul Boucher and TCRC Vice President Ryan Finnson, the Bargaining Committee met with the Company representatives to exchange our proposals and demands. Copies of both the Union proposals and Company demands are attached for your information and review. The documents will be translated and forwarded as soon as possible.

We have spent some time reviewing the Company’s demand package and encourage our members to do the same. During our review it has become very clear that the Company has based their demands solely as a result of the implementation of the Duty and Rest Period Rules (DRPR). It appears that it is the Company’s goal to eliminate all provisions contained in our current Collective Agreement that relate to rest and time off in exchange for the DRPR. This is not the first time the Company has come to the bargaining table and attempted to make wholesale changes to our Collective Agreement.

In the 2014 round of bargaining, the Company sought very similar demands as they are today. We have included those demands for your ease of reference. We note in 2014, the Company demanded an all-inclusive rate of pay, the removal of all existing rest and time off provisions (relying only upon Federal Work/Rest Requirements), and removal of all existing road/yard service jurisdictions. The Company has sought these changes for years, they are not new, simply recycled to try again. The difference this round is the Company is claiming the changes are necessary as a result of, or in exchange for, the mandated DRPR. These rules were put in place to represent an improvement over the previous rules, and to provide a framework to mitigate the risks associated with fatigue. In the Union’s view, to be used in conjunction with already negotiated Collective Agreement provisions; not to replace what we have fought to earn in many previous agreements. We are all reminded that as a result of the Company’s demands in 2014, there was a work stoppage that ended in arbitration.

The Company has stated in the opening paragraphs that the TCRC was not interested in jointly developing a pilot project at select terminals to measure and monitor the impact of DRPR prior to its implementation. To be clear, this statement is not correct. The pilot project was thoroughly discussed between the Union and Company, and ultimately the Company disagreed with our terms. The stumbling block was the refusal of the Company to conduct the pilot while maintaining the 48 hours rest provision. To be clear, the Union was not the impediment to conducting the pilot project. For your ease of reference, we have attached the letter of correspondence from the Company during the discussions of a DRPR pilot project that ended with their disapproval.

We will continue to analyze the demands and consider our next steps. Our next scheduled meeting with the Company will be in November. It is important for your bargaining committee to obtain the membership’s feedback, comments, or questions on the proposals prior to the next meeting. Please forward any questions sent from your members to your respective General Chairman to ensure proper follow up.

Following each session, we will provide you with an updated bulletin. Please distribute these documents to ensure the membership is kept apprised of any developments.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, we remain,

In Solidarity,

Dave Fulton
General Chairman - CTY West

Greg Lawrenson 
General Chairman - LE West

Wayne Apsey 
General Chairman - CTY East

Ed Mogus
General Chairman - LE  East

CC:
Paul Boucher - TCRC President
Ryan Finnson - TCRC Vice President