OTTAWA, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Canadian National Railway officials Tuesday asked employees to return to work while negotiators resumed bargaining in an effort to end the 10-day-old strike.
The resumption of talks comes after the federal government appointed a mediator to resolve the stoppage, which has hurt Canadian industry.
The country's Labor minister said he would consider back-to-work legislation if the strike was not settled "within hours," the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.
Such legislation has been enacted 31 times since 1950, including six times in the rail industry, most recently in 1995.
The Canada Industrial Relations Board refused to issue a back-to-work order Monday, ruling the strike by the railroad's 2,800 conductors and yard-service workers was legal.
When talks broke off Feb. 9, CN said the union demanded a three-year contract with pay raises of 4 1/2 percent the first two years and 4 percent the third.
CN said striking workers earned an average of $75,000 last year, with a quarter of them making more than $90,000.
