Rail strike’s impact on auto plants small–so far

Canada’s automakers are keeping to production and shipment schedules in the face of a strike by up to one-quarter of Canadian National Railway’s 23,000 employees. Officials at the car companies are predicting the impact of the strike to be modest in the short run, according to a report in Reuters. However managers at both automotive OEMs and suppliers are looking into alternatives should shipments of parts or finished product be disrupted.
Analysts following the strike expect CN to hire outside contractors to ensure trains continue to run. Plants that rely more heavily on rail shipments are making plans to use road trucks to fill any voids caused by interruption of rail service.