Canadian National workers to return to work on Friday
Work stoppage at Canadian Pacific still ongoing
Labour Minister MacKinnon expects trains running within days
Business groups and companies demanded government action
Teamsters union says picket lines will remain in place for now

OTTAWA, Aug 22 Reuters Workers at Canadian National Railway will begin returning to work on Friday, the Teamsters union said, hours after the Canadian government moved to end an unprecedented rail stoppage.

The union said the work stoppage at Canadian Pacific Kansas City would continue pending an order from the Canadian Industrial Relations Board CIRB. The union and company officials are scheduled to meet with the board on Friday morning.

Canada39;s top two railroads, Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City had locked out more than 9,000 unionized workers earlier on Thursday, triggering a simultaneous rail stoppage that business groups said could inflict hundreds of millions of dollars in economic damage.

The Canadian government on Thursday announced that it would ask the country39;s industrial relations board to issue a backtowork order that should come soon.

The CIRB, which is independent, will now consult the companies and unions before issuing an order.

CN had said it would end its lockout on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET 2200 GMT. CPKC said it was preparing to restart operations in Canada and further details on timing would be provided once it received the CIRB39;s…