Jim Karygiannis, MP for Scarborough-Agincourt and Parliamentary Secretary of Transportation, meets with Teamsters at Toronto Yard in Agincourt - 10 Jun 2012 Photographer unknown.

10 December 2012

CP Negotiations - Bulletin No. 23

Ottawa Ontario - We wish to thank the TCRC National Office and Teamsters Canada for all of the assistance and the support provided.
 
All TCRC Local Chairs - CPR Eastern and Western Regions:
 
The arbitration process established through Bill C-39 has now been concluded and the parties await the decision of the Arbitrator. We anticipate the decision to be issued before the end of this month, but in any event the decision must be issued before 25 Jan 2013. Over the last few weeks the parties submitted their written arguments to Arbitrator Kaplan, and as reported in our previous Bulletin the arbitrator had scheduled 8 and 9 Dec 2012, in Calgary as hearing dates and location to conclude the arbitration process. Your Bargaining Committee, assisted by our Legal Counsel, Pension Actuarial, and Financial experts, attended to this over this past weekend.
 
Your Bargaining Committee thanks all of the Local Chairs and other Officers and members who were able to provide us with specific information that we could use or refer to in our written briefs to the arbitrator. In particular, we want to express our appreciation to Susan Chortyk of PBI Actuarial Consultants Group, and Consultant John O'Grady for their expert assistance, advice, and information throughout the bargaining, conciliation, mediation, and arbitration process. We also wish to extend our thanks to the Law Firm of Caley Wray, in particular Michael Church who was our lead counsel through this process.
 
We are so impressed with the solidarity and the commitment of the Membership throughout Canada, uniting to fight the attack on our pensions, retirement benefits, and our work rules throughout the Collective Agreements. As we look back over this past year we are so very appreciative and humbled by the determination and solidarity of the TCRC membership throughout every terminal and Division at CP, and how everyone has pulled together to not only protect our rights, but those of all the working people throughout Canada during this time of bitter attacks on organized labour.
 
When the arbitrators' decision is released we will immediately distribute throughout the Union. We will also review the decision with legal counsel, as necessary, to insure all legal principles have been followed and to make certain that there are no misunderstandings.
 
In closing, we also wish to thank the TCRC National Office and Teamsters Canada for all of the assistance and the support provided.
 
In Solidarity,
 
Dave Able - General Chairman, LE West;
Dave Olson - General Chairman, CTY West;
Benoit Brunet - General Chairman, LE East;
Bruce Hiller - General Chairman, CTY East;
Shelly Brownlee - General Chairman, RTC.