Metrolinx says it will keep customers updated on developments in a labour dispute at two of Canada’s largest railway companies.

Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City laid off more than 9,000 workers Thursday morning, bringing freight and commuter rail services to an abrupt halt in major cities across the country.

On Thursday evening, CN reported that the lockout had ended and that trains were running again Friday morning, while the Teamsters union issued a 72-hour strike notice against the railroad that same morning.

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A Metrolinx spokesperson promised an update for the more than 8,000 Go Transit riders on the Milton Line and Hamilton GO station affected by the closure over the past two days.

The union said workers will go on strike at 10 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday.

The strike announcement came after CN said in a statement that it would end the lockout, in response to the federal government’s decision to impose binding arbitration in the ongoing labor dispute.

“By bypassing the collective bargaining process and mandating binding arbitration, the federal government has undermined the foundation upon which unions work to improve wages and working conditions for all Canadians. Bargaining is also the primary way our union fights for rail safety — all considerations that outweigh short-term economic concerns,” TCRC President Paul Boucher said in a statement.

The statement said the CIRB has not yet made a final ruling on whether to enforce binding arbitration or end the work stoppages.

In its statement Thursday, CN said: “While CN awaits the formal order from the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), the company is making this decision to accelerate the recovery of the economy.”

With files from Uday Rana of Global News

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