On July 7 MoveUP staff and members joined union members from throughout the lower mainland at a rally to support locked out Rocky Mountaineer attendants.

The dispute between the high-end rail tour company and its employees began in bargaining. Teamsters local 31, the union representing the 109 attendants, sought overtime provisions for their members. In turn, they were willing to forego a wage increase.

Rather than bargain, on June 22 Great Canadian Railtours locked out its attendants and replaced the workers with temporary scab labour. Rail companies are governed by federal legislation where workers, despite the best efforts of federal New Democrats, do not have protection against the use of replacement workers.

The locked out Rocky Mountaineer workers are on the picket lines fighting to return to their jobs with dignity, respect, and a fair collective agreement.

The well-attended rally included several members of MoveUP’s Executive Board and Council. Members from many other unions were present along with people from the BC Federation of Labour and VDLC Young Workers Committees. The Vancouver & District Labour Council was also represented by its president, Joey Hartman, and other members of its executive. The new VDLC Strike Solidarity Committee mobilized for the rally as well.

Jeff Peterson from CUPW emceed the event, and speakers included Teamsters local 31 President Stan Hennessey, BC Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair, and NDP MP Don Davies and BC NDP MLA Raj Chouhan. Several other New Democrat MPs and MLAs came out to demonstrate their support, as did Vancouver city councillors Geoff Meggs and David Cadman.

Learn more at the Vancouver Observer and TheTyee.ca, and show your support on the Rocky Mountaineer Lockout facebook page, Twitter account and blog.

Locked out Teamsters with MP Peter Julian, MLA Raj Chouhan and MoveUP member Georgi Bates