For Immediate Release
June 29, 2022
IBEW Members on Strike
IBEW International Vice President, Russ Shewchuk, issued the following statement regarding the IBEW System Council #11 members on strike at CN:
“The Brothers and Sisters of IBEW System Council 11 have officially been on legal strike since June 18th, 2022, with their employer Canadian National Railway (CN). IBEW members work in the Signal and Communications Department, and they take care of the network of critical safety and switching operations across Canada, keeping our communities safe and rail traffic running smoothly. At present our members have been substituted by replacement (scab) workers from both Canada and the U.S. This should concern everyone in our country, as it opens the door for unqualified people operating and maintaining our rail safety across Canada.
Our members have asked for a fair deal, and to this point they have been stonewalled by CN. Despite our members willingness to get back to the bargaining table with CN, there is no further talks scheduled with the employer, putting our countries rail safety in jeopardy. This is another prime example of the importance of Federal anti-scab legislation. Legislation that would prevent the employer from using replacement, and likely unqualified workers from crossing legal picket lines.
IBEW members from coast to coast to coast stand in solidarity with our striking members at CN and I encourage the employer to get back to the bargaining table and so that these highly skilled workers can get back to work with a fair deal.
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The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers represents approximately 70,000 members in Canada and 775,000 members and retirees in North America who work in a wide variety of fields, including construction, utilities, manufacturing, telecommunications, broadcasting, railroads and government.