* Labor minister says talks outlook clearer by midnight
* Raitt doesn’t say when back-to-work bill might land
* Canadian gov’t also listening to industries hit by strike
By Jeffrey Hodgson
TORONTO, May 27 (Reuters) – Talks between Canadian Pacific
Railway Ltd and the union representing 4,800 striking
locomotive engineers and conductors have become more difficult,
though the government has not given up hope of a deal, Canada’s
labor minister said on Sunday.
Members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference walked off
the job May 23 after talks broke down on pension issues,
shutting down freight traffic across the country.
“As it becomes more and more apparent the effects on CP, the
company, of the strike, things are getting more difficult at the
table,” Labor Minister Lisa Raitt said in an interview with
CTV’s “Question Period.”
“Now they’re looking at the availability of finding their
own process and still being masters of their own destiny.”
Raitt, who previously estimated the strike could cost C$540
million ($524.9 million) in economic activity each week, warned
the government would step in to protect the economy, if
necessary.
The majority Conservative government previously used
back-to-work legislation to end strikes at Air Canada
and Canada Post.
But the labor minister did not say in the interview when the
Conservative government might introduce such legislation, noting
a deal was still possible.
“I’m still hopeful. I’m going to be speaking with the
parties today. I’m going to be speaking with my officials
today,” she said.
Raitt said the government was consulting with businesses to
see how deeply the strike was hampering their operations.
Companies across a range of industries have scrambled to find
alternatives to ship their grain, coal, fertilizer, autos and
other goods as CP trains sat idle.
One industry group, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters,
called on Sunday for the federal government to immediately
intervene to end the dispute.
“Over the past week, we’ve heard directly from members,
large and small, from all sectors of the economy, who have
indicated the labor disruption at CP is having a significant
impact,” it said in a statement.
