Calgary Alberta - The website at www.WorkRestAndTimeOff.ca outlines CP's labour relations story, the railroad's communications with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference-Train & Engine (TCRC-T&E) leadership, and models CP has presented.
 
CP's new website also aims to dispel myths and outdated perceptions regarding work and time off for train crews, representatives say.
 
"The new pages take all of the information related to work, rest, and time off, and puts it in one place," said Peter Edwards, CP's vice-president people.
 
"This is an important step as we want all employees to see first-hand the extensive work we have done, and continue to do, on this topic across our North American network.
 
For real change to occur in Canada, collective agreements need to be more progressive and forward-looking to address the needs of today's employee."
 
CP points to the Soo Line and the Dakota Minnesota & Eastern, which the railroad says are moving toward an age where employees can experience more predictable work patterns, and provide more reliable service.
 
In Canada, CP says its attempts to change how unassigned road service employees are scheduled have been stalled due to current collective agreements that are described as "antiquated", representatives say.
 
"We had unions in the U.S. vote for these changes even before collective agreements expired, and those employees have benefited as a result," Edwards said.
 
"In Canada we remain at a standstill with the TCRC-T&E, unable to engage with them in a meaningful way on this important topic. While TCRC leadership states one of the reasons they went on strike in 2015 was "fatigue" we were not able to get them to sit with us and talk about it. With no way to engage with them, we took action and put in mandatory rest for T&E employees. The result, they grieved it 41 times."
 
In the resulting arbitral decision dealing with the issue of mandatory time off between trips, Arbitrator John Stout said he recognizes fatigue as a safety concern that affects the company, union members, and the general public.
 
"Addressing fatigue is in the best interests of both parties to this proceeding. The issue should be addressed in collective bargaining either by agreement or in an interest arbitration award," Stout said.
 
"It is not the role of a rights arbitrator to set public policy or rewrite the parties' collective agreement."
 
The current arbitrated agreement with the TCRC-T&E expires 31 Dec 2017.
 
However, CP believes a solution can and should be established earlier.
 
The railroad says it has historically collaborated with its unions and has successfully negotiated long-term collective agreements with its six other Canadian bargaining units, including Teamsters.
 
"We want employees to come to work rested, have meaningful time with their loved ones, and be able to support their families," Edwards said.
 
"Assigned days off and mandatory rest achieves this."
 
CP encourages regulators, government officials, employees, and other stake holders to visit its new site.
 
"CP will, at any time, discuss the facts around work and rest with the Transportation Safety Board (TSB), Transport Canada (TC) and the TCRC-T&E and is happy to do so in a public forum," the railroad said.
 
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