Canadian Rail Arbitrator Orders Workers Back to Work

A Canadian arbitrator has ordered employees at the country's two major railroads, Canadian National and CPKC, to return to work to prevent a crisis in the North American economy. The Teamsters union, representing over 9,000 workers, will comply with the order but plans to challenge the legality of the arbitration, arguing it undermines workers' rights. Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon intervened due to concerns over widespread economic repercussions if the railroads remained shut down. Canadian National has restarted operations, while CPKC workers will return to work by Monday morning. The union's president, Paul Boucher, criticized the decision as setting a dangerous precedent for corporate power over labor rights. Businesses in both Canada and the U.S. have expressed urgency for rail services to avoid production disruptions.