At least four Prince George workers are out of a job after Canadian Freightways announced the closure of the majority of its operations in Prince George, Smithers, Terrace and Prince Rupert on Friday.
Heather Lee, vice president of Canadian Office and Professional Employees (COPE) union local 378, said the union was notified Friday afternoon that the company would be laying off four of its members from the Prince George office before the end of the day.
"You can imagine how that feels. We're quite disappointed by this. No company that big takes half an hour to decide to close a location," Lee said. "We haven't had an opportunity to talk about the impact on members and their families, and the community..."
The majority of the layoffs effected truck drivers and other workers represented by the Teamsters union local 31.
A spokesperson for the Teamsters wasn't available for comment as of press time. A spokesperson for Canadian Freightways wasn't reachable for comment, however a service representative for the company said the company would continue to serve customers in the region through a contract with another shipper.
Lee said its members will be entitled to severance under their collective agreement, but the union may seek to negotiate addition compensation for laid off workers. The union hasn't had a chance to talk to the company about the possibility of transferring staff to other operations with the company.
"Obviously it's late notice and early days," Lee said. "Canadian Freightways was a good family in terms of respecting its workers. We're certainly willing to work with the employer."
Canadian Freightways is Canada's largest freight carrier, according to the company's website, with 1,200 employees across the country. The company serves Western Canada and parts of the U.S. Northwest - and across Canada and the U.S. through various partnerships.
Canadian Freightways is headquartered in Rocky View, Alta., but is owned by Montreal-based TransForce Inc.
