Canadian rail workers aren’t on strike: They’re locked out of their jobs

Railroad management told members of the Teamsters union not to come to work. Here’s why.

Trains from Canada’s two major freight railroads aren’t currently running, with more than 9,000 workers away from their jobs. But don’t call it a rail strike. Unlike a strike, where employees make the decision themselves to stop working, the situation with Canadian rail workers is a lock out: Railroad management were the ones who told the members of the Teamsters union that they can’t come to work.