31 May 2012

Canada Passes CP Railway Back-to-Work Bill

Ottawa Ontario - The Canadian government passed a bill late on Thursday to end the nine-day-old strike at Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd., clearing the way for freight traffic to begin moving again on Friday.
 
The bill, which forces 4,800 locomotive engineers, conductors, and traffic controllers back to work at Canada's second-biggest railway, was quickly passed by the Senate, after approval from the House of Commons on Wednesday.
 
The back-to-work bill, which the Conservative government said was necessary to protect Canada's still-fragile economy, now awaits speedy and routine approval from Canada's governor-general. Its provisions take effect 12 hours later.