Moe says rail strike would be 'catastrophic' for Sask., asks feds for back-to-work legislation

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is calling on the federal government to make it illegal for rail workers to strike.

Speaking at the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) annual convention in Regina on Wednesday, Moe called on the feds to classify rail workers as essential and to ensure back-to-work legislation is passed if Canadian Pacific Railway employees go on strike.

Moe said a strike would be "catastrophic' for the province.

"[Rail is] essential for communities and for people within the province of Saskatchewan," Moe said.

"In no way does this undermine any of the negotiations that happen at any collective bargaining table. But it would preserve that service and the continuity of that service for our province and for all Canadians."

The union representing the rail workers has said more than 96 per cent of its members voted in favour of a strike. The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference says wages, benefits and pensions are the main issues.

Moe said the Saskatchewan Party government plans to deliver a petition to Ottawa this week calling for the change.

His government circulated the petition at the SARM convention asking for delegates to sign it.

Moe said a strike would disrupt supplies coming into and going out of the province.

"Grain going into feedlots, for example, across the province and in the southern U.S., as well as ultimately all of the exports that we are sending out to other areas of the world," Moe said.

"This [strike] simply cannot happen. And I trust and I hope that the federal government is already considering some degree of what back-to-work legislation would look like should they need it, should there be a lockout or a strike in the days ahead."

Canadian Pacific said the federal government has stepped in during eight of the last nine collective bargaining rounds it has had with the union.

"It's probably the worst time ever for a major rail carrier to go on strike," said SARM president Ray Orb.

"It's just terrible timing because of what's going on all around the world right now. Seeing this happen in Saskatchewan is really going to be devastating. "