CALGARY, Nov. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Canadian Pacific
(TSX: CP) (NYSE: CP) today launched a website that presents the
facts relating to work, rest and time off for Canadian-based
running trades employees.
The site, www.workrestandtimeoff.ca, also outlines CP's labour
relations story, communications CP has had with the Teamsters
Canada Rail Conference – Train & Engine (TCRC-T&E)
leadership and models CP has presented. It also dispels the many
myths and outdated perceptions concerning work and time off for
train crews at CP.
"The new site takes 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."
In the United States, for
example, CP has been able to improve the quality of life of its
engineers and conductors. The Soo Line and the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern, as documented
on the new site, are moving to an age where employees can have more
predictable work patterns and in the process deliver better, more
reliable service to customers. In Canada, CP's attempts to change how unassigned
road service employees are scheduled have stalled because the
current collective agreements are antiquated and based in the steam
era.
"We had unions in the U.S. vote for these changes even before
collective agreements expired, and those employees have benefited
as a result," said Edwards. "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 stated, "I
acknowledge that fatigue is a matter of safety that affects both
the company, the Union's 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. 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
December 31, 2017. However, it is
CP's belief that a solution to this issue can and should be found
sooner.
CP has a history of working collaboratively with its unions. In
addition to modernizing collective agreements in the U.S., CP has
successfully negotiated long-term collective agreements with its
other six Canadian bargaining units, including Teamsters, which
include increased benefits, annual wage increases and restoration
of the employee share purchase plan.
"We want employees to come to work rested, have meaningful time
with their loved ones and be able to support their families," said
Edwards. "Assigned days off and mandatory rest achieves this."
CP encourages regulators, government officials, employees and
their families to visit the site. CP will, at any time, discuss the
facts around work and rest with the Transportation Safety Board,
Transport Canada and the TCRC-T&E and is happy to do so in a
public forum.
About Canadian Pacific
Canadian Pacific
(TSX:CP)(NYSE:CP) is a transcontinental railway in Canada and the
United States with direct links to eight major ports,
including Vancouver and
Montreal, providing North American
customers a competitive rail service with access to key markets in
every corner of the globe. CP is growing with its customers,
offering a suite of freight transportation services, logistics
solutions and supply chain expertise. Visit cpr.ca to see the rail
advantages of CP.
Note on forward-looking information
This news release contains certain forward-looking information
within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating, but not
limited, to our safe operations, legal and regulatory compliance,
priorities and plans, programs and strategies. This forward-looking
information also includes, but is not limited to, statements
concerning expectations, beliefs, plans, goals, objectives,
assumptions and statements about possible future events,
conditions, and results of operations or performance.
Forward-looking information may contain statements with words or
headings such as "financial expectations", "key assumptions",
"anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "will", "outlook",
"should" or similar words suggesting future outcomes.
Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking
information as actual results may differ materially from the
forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is not a
guarantee of future performance. By its nature, CP's
forward-looking information involves numerous assumptions, inherent
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from the forward-looking information, including but not
limited to the following factors: changes to the key assumptions
identified above; changes in business strategies; general North
American and global economic, credit and business conditions; risks
in agricultural production such as weather conditions and insect
populations; the availability and price of energy commodities; the
effects of competition and pricing pressures; industry capacity;
shifts in market demand; changes in commodity prices; uncertainty
surrounding timing and volumes of commodities being shipped via CP;
inflation; changes in laws and regulations, including regulation of
rates; changes in taxes and tax rates; potential increases in
maintenance and operating costs; uncertainties of investigations,
proceedings or other types of claims and litigation; labour
disputes; risks and liabilities arising from derailments;
transportation of dangerous goods; timing of completion of capital
and maintenance projects; currency and interest rate fluctuations;
effects of changes in market conditions and discount rates on the
financial position of pension plans and investments; and various
events that could disrupt operations, including severe weather,
droughts, floods, avalanches and earthquakes as well as security
threats and governmental response to them, and technological
changes. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive.
These and other factors are detailed from time to time in
reports filed by CP with securities regulators in Canada and the
United States. Reference should be made to "Item 1A - Risk
Factors" and "Item 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Forward-Looking
Information" in CP's annual and interim reports on Form 10-K and
10- Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based
on current expectations, estimates and projections and it is
possible that predictions, forecasts, projections, and other forms
of forward-looking information will not be achieved by CP. Except
as required by law, CP undertakes no obligation to update publicly
or otherwise revise any forward-looking information, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.
SOURCE Canadian Pacific