PORT COQUITLAM – Locked out CUPE 7000 Southern Rail (SRY) workers formed a new picket line this morning outside Canadian Pacific’s rail yard in Port Coquitlam. The workers were protesting CP Rail performing their work during a labour dispute.
The 126 rail yard SRY employees have been locked out of their jobs on January 5. Since then, Southern Rail managers have been running the trains, but CP Rail has been helping them with line switching inside SRY’s Trapp Yard in New Westminster.
While CUPE 7000 has formally complained to CP Rail management about this situation, CP has shown no signs of stopping the practice.
CUPE 7000 Southern Railway workers are conductors, engineers, brakemen, trackmen, locomotive repair and maintenance workers, and others who operate, maintain and service SRY freight trains, including supervising line switching.
CUPE Local 7000 president Bill Magri says the picket lines are likely to continue to pop up until CP stops interfering in the Southern Rail dispute. “If they continue to do our work these CUPE picket lines could get more frequent and more widespread. CP Rail is a national carrier and CUPE is a national union.”
See photos from this morning’s information picket here.
