Labour board orders thousands of rail employees back to work

The federal labour board has ordered thousands of rail employees back to work after a bitter contract dispute shut down the country’s two major railways.

The decision comes following a “marathon nine-hour hearing” after Canada’s labour minister asked to send the parties to binding arbitration while an agreement is hammered out between Canadian National, Canadian Pacific Kansas City and the Teamsters union representing thousands of their workers.

The union had said it would lawfully abide by any decision from the board and “is prepared to file challenges in Federal Court if necessary.”

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The decision from the Canada Industrial Relations Board imposes binding arbitration on the parties following a work stoppage at Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City that halted freight shipments and snarled commutes across the country since Thursday morning.

More to come.