The federal labour board has ordered 9,300 unionized rail employees back to work after a bitter contract dispute shut down Canada’s two major railways at the same time—something that has never happened before.

The Canada Industrial Relations Board made the ruling late Saturday afternoon—a full two days after being asked by Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to impose binding arbitration.

The labour board—which operates at arm’s length from the federal government—says the trains will resume operations at both companies early tomorrow (Monday) morning. The Teamsters union will abide by the labor board ruling but promises to challenge the decision in court.

The labor disruption only lasted three days, but CN and CPKC  had been phasing back operations since the middle of the month. CPKC says it will take several weeks for rail movement to return to normal.  These delays have and will continue to cost all sectors of the Canadian economy many millions of dollars.  The rail transportation problems came at the worst time possible for grain producers who are harvesting their crops.