IMPORTANT: VIA Rail going on strike in Canada

[Nghthawke]

Some of you have made arrangements to travel by train here in Canada... please note it looks like via rail will be going on strike:

 

From today's (July 22, 2009) Montreal Gazette:

 

Via Rail pre-emptively cancelled several long-distance trains yesterday, fearing a possible strike by locomotive engineers may strand passengers en route.

 

In a statement on its website late yesterday evening, Via said it had "no choice" but to begin to cancel certain long-distance trains so that passengers would not be stranded if a strike began on Friday. Among the cancelled runs was the train that was to leave Montreal for Halifax at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow.

 

The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference issued a 72-hour strike notice yesterday, meaning workers could be off the job noon Friday. Negotiations continue between Via and the union, which represents 340 engineers.

Via said it will ensure that all passengers departing before noon on Friday will reach their destination, either "by train or by alternate means."

After the noon deadline, all trains will be cancelled.

 

http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/would+affected+strike/1814369/story.html

 

See also:

 

http://www.viarail.ca/sites/all/files/media/pdfs/Train_plan_for_web.pdf

[martinchem]

Thanks!

[downeaster70]

Via Trains will be running Monday July 27th according to CBC news as well as newspaper media. Both parties going to Binding Arbitration.