Arbitration court sets minimum services of 25% for CP strike starting Sunday

The Arbitration Court decided to define minimum services for the CP strike from Sunday until Wednesday, covering the strike called by the Commercial Itinerant Railway Review Union (SFRCI), that is, ticket inspectors and ticket agents.

These minimum services, of 25%, will take place at a time when the strike by the Machinists' Union (SMAQ) will no longer be total, as is the case today and on Thursday, and is only planned for overtime, including work on a weekly rest day.

CP indicated, on its website, that “minimum services were defined for the period between May 11th and 14th”, having published the lists of trains covered by the decision.

According to the arbitration court's decision, “the reason for this determination is related to the need to ensure minimum rail transport when there are no other alternatives or, if there are, they are excessively expensive”.

Thus, in this context, “it was considered appropriate to set minimum services relating to the circulation of trains at 25% of what would be their normal circulation, thus not fully accepting CP’s proposal which proposed a setting of 30%”.

According to the decision, “setting minimum services at this percentage is justified considering the fact that this company carries out an activity with enormous social relevance, and the announced strike should be limited to what are considered to be ‘imperative social needs’, which are represented here by allowing some train circulation at a minimum level that does not jeopardize passenger safety, with the accumulation of people in stations and overcrowding on trains”.

On the other hand, he said, “the percentage set by the Arbitration Court respects the essential core of the right to strike”.

CP train circulation has been halted due to strikes by several unions, and in the case of the remaining stoppages the arbitration court did not set minimum services.

The Arbitration Court explained on Thursday that it did not decree minimum services during the CP strikes, because the company warned that a 15% circulation did not guarantee the physical safety of passengers.

This clarification comes after “several news items and controversies that have come to light regarding the various strikes at CP”, explained the Arbitration Court of the Economic and Social Council in a statement.

The strikes on Wednesday and Thursday were called by the Trade Union Association of Intermediate Railway Operations Managers (ASCEF), the Independent Trade Union Association of Commercial Career Railway Workers (ASSIFECO), the Federation of Transport and Communications Trade Unions (FECTRANS), the National Transport, Communications and Public Works Trade Union (FENTCOP), the National Union of Railway Workers of the Movement and Related (SINAFE), the National Democratic Railway Union (SINDEFER), the Independent Union of Railway Workers of Infrastructure and Related (SINFA), the National Independent Union of Railway Workers (SINFB), the National Union of Transport and Industry Workers (SINTTI), the Independent Union of Railway Operators and Related (SIOFA), the National Union of Technical Staff (SNAQ), the National Union of Workers of the Sector Railway Workers Union (SNTSF), the Railway Transport Union (STF) and the Metro and Railway Workers Union (STMEFE).

The Machinists' Union (SMAQ), the only union on strike today, joined this strike on Thursday.

The Commercial Itinerant Railway Review Union (SFRCI), of ticket inspectors and ticket office workers, in turn called a partial strike between 5:00 and 8:30 from Sunday to Wednesday.