Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials HomeNewsCPKC says operations unaffected as hundreds of signal workers strike‘We're certainly going to cause a lot of pressure and annoyance to the company,’ says Jason Sommer, a chairman with the International Brotherhood of Electrical WorkersLast updated 1 hour ago You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.A Canadian Pacific Kansas City train idles in Inglewood on August 22, 2024. CPKC signal workers went on strike Sunday, May 31, 2026, after contract negotiations were halted. Darren Makowichuk/Postmedia fileSeveral hundred Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. employees are on strike, after talks between a signal workers’ union and the company came to a grinding halt.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorMore than 300 members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, System Council No. 11, went on strike starting Sunday. Calgary-based CPKC says it has a contingency plan to continue operations.“CPKC trains are operating,” the company said in an emailed statement. “Safe and efficient rail service continues across Canada.”Breaking business news, incisive views, must-reads and market signals. Weekdays by 9 a.m.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Posthaste will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againSignal and communications workers install, test and maintain railway equipment across Canada, according to the union.Jason Sommer, a chair with the labour group, said the strike could slow CPKC’s operations due to increased stoppages.“We’re certainly going to cause a lot of pressure and annoyance to the company,” Sommer said. “We’re going to affect their bottom line.”But Chris Murray, an analyst with ATB Cormark Capital Markets, said he doesn’t see any material effect on operations, at least in the short term.“If it does go longer, then we have to reassess,” Murray said.While the union and the company are away from the bargaining table, both say they’re hopeful for a resolution.Sommer said the union wants compensation increases for its members, arguing that CPKC has fallen behind on pay compared to what other signal and communication workers make across the industry.He said the union’s signals workers at CPKC are paid as much as $4 less per hour than some industry counterparts, such as Canadian National Railway Co.CPKC, Sommer said, has offered “very little” financial improvements for the union’s workers, and the increase it has offered came with demands for concessions to scheduling changes.“(It would) give the company much more ability to unilaterally implement various work schedules at reduced compensation for on-call coverage,” Sommer said of the railroad’s demands. “That was obviously something that we couldn’t agree to.”In its statement, CPKC said the union’s “unreasonable, unrealistic demands” go far beyond the wage and benefit increases its other employees have received in recent years.It added that the union “repeatedly refused real, field-proven work scheduling solutions that address their primary publicly stated concerns.”The company also said the increases the union seeks would be more than double what it has provided to other Canadian collective bargaining units.FP West: Energy Insider brings you behind the closed doors of the oilpatch, with exclusive insights from insiders every Wednesday morning. 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