After a week-long strike, CN has announced that a tentative agreement has been reached and workers are expected to be back on the job this week.

3,200 conductors and yard crews working on CN’s mainline and yards in Canada have negotiated a new collective agreement.

CN states the 3,200 conductors and yard crews working on CN’s mainline and yards in Canada have negotiated a new collective agreement.

“This agreement will allow for CN employees to return to work at 2:00 p.m. local times today, and yard assignments will start at 06:00 a.m. local times tomorrow morning and there will be no job action during the ratification period. The results of the ratification votes are expected within 8 weeks,” said CN in a news release earlier today.

Premier Scott Moe said this is certainly good news, not only for Saskatchewan but for the nation as a whole.

“It is a sigh of relief for the nation, that is not saying that there isn’t going to be dragging consequences. We will have challenges in our industries that are so reliant on moving this product out, as we are behind the eight-ball now.”

He did add that they are pleased, however, that a tentative settlement has been reached.

The Agricultural Producers Association of Canada promptly responded to the announcement stating they welcome the news, however, in the wake of the strike, they are now calling for action.

“The one-week strike has threatened the remainder of our shipping season,” APAS President Todd Lewis explained. “This is crunch time for our cash flow and producers need to move grain to get paid. We need to know how CN plans to make up the shipping shortfall. We can’t afford to have this problem drag on all winter and spring.”