Canadian Wheat Growers express concerns about 'inconceivable' CP Rail work stoppage

The association responsible for wheat growers in Canada's Prairies says the potential Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. job action is concerning.

Teamsters Canada Rail Conference reported members voted 96 per cent in favour of a work stoppage earlier this month. Wages, benefits and pensions are the main issues behind potential job action.

Canada's federal labour minister was given notice by CP rail it intended to lock its workers out by Sunday. 

On Thursday morning, the Western Canadian Wheat Growers added its voice to those expressing concern about the vote and the potential damage it could have on grain farmers. 

"It is inconceivable that grain farmers would be facing a CP rail stoppage at this time," chair and Saskatchewan director Daryl Fransoo said in published statement. 

"After a historic poor crop last year, devastating floods in B.C., unseasonable winter conditions and now a war in Ukraine, grain farmers question whether the rail parties understand the impact of a stoppage." 

The statement from the wheat growers said rising inflation and rising costs of farming grain are contributing to the "very real" possibility of wheat shortages in the coming months, which would be a blow to food security overall. 

LISTEN| The impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on wheat supplies:

Government wants back-to-work legislation, Opposition wants negotiations

Saskatchewan's Premier Scott Moe called Wednesday for the federal government to deem rail workers essential and ensure back-to-work legislation would be in place if they take any kind of job action. 

Speaking to the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), Moe said rail service in Saskatchewan is essential to communities and job action would disrupt the flow of supplies coming and going.

Moe's government plans circulated a deliver a petition, to be delivered to Ottawa this week, calling for back-to-work legislation in the event of a work stoppage.

Saskatchewan Opposition NDP MLA Trent Wotherspoon disagreed with Moe's approach and said the NDP didn't support the petition.

He called for the union and the employer to meet and negotiate a fair deal for all parties, and said the premier should do the same, rather than calling for federal action. 

"The premier is grandstanding, when he should be crystal clear with CP that it is completely unacceptable to have a rail stoppage at this time, and [both parties] need to negotiate a fair deal," Wotherspoon said. 

"This is the same premier that couldn't say boo about a serious trade blockade on our American border that had very serious consequences for agricultural producers and others in this province." 

A statement published Wednesday evening said both Federal Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan and Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra understand the impacts of a work stoppage and were "monitoring the situation closely," and the ministers were happy to see negotiations were still continuing.