Two months after a labor dispute that shut down Canada's rail network, a decision by the country's labor board has directed the dispute between Canadian National (CN) and its largest union to mediation. Mediation sessions between CN and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference are scheduled for seven days in March 2025. If a mediated settlement isn't reached, arbitration will commence in April, with the arbitrator expected to deliver a ruling within 60 days, likely before the end of the second quarter of 2025. The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) confirmed it cannot overrule Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon's decision to end the lockout of 9,300 CN and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) union employees on August 22 and send the contract dispute to binding arbitration. The union and CN have agreed on an arbitrator to determine the terms of the next collective agreement. The CIRB order maintains the current collective agreement until a new contract is finalized and prohibits further strikes or lockouts. CPKC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.