A CP Rail strike could come on Sunday as the Calgary-based company and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference have yet to come to a negotiated settlement or agree to binding arbitration.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe brought a petition to the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities' annual conference Wednesday, calling for Ottawa to take action in possibly two areas.

"Immediately implement back-to-work legislation should a work stoppage or disruption of rail service occur," Moe said. And two - introduce legislation to designate rail service as an essential service to prevent future rail disruptions that are caused by labour disputes.

He later tweeted that a work stoppage would have a major impact on the Saskatchewan population.

CP said in a release yesterday that they issued a statement to the union that they would lock out employees at 12:01 a.m. Sunday, barring a negotiated settlement or agreement to binding arbitration.

"For the sake of our employees, our customers, the supply chain we serve and the Canadian economy that is trying to recover from multiple disruptions, we simply cannot prolong for weeks or months the uncertainty associated with a potential labor disruption,” said Keith Creel, CP President and CEO. “The world has never needed Canada’s resources and an efficient transportation system to deliver them more than it does today. Delaying resolution would only make things worse. We take this action with a view to bringing this uncertainty to an end."

The 3,000-plus membership of the union recently voted 96.7 per cent in favour of strike action.

"It was well known that CP was going to force a work stoppage and lockout our members.  They have done just that,” said Dave Fulton, spokesperson for TCRC. “At the bargaining table, CP continues to dismiss our members’ demands and are unwilling to negotiate the issues they have created.  We remain committed to reaching an acceptable agreement that addresses our members' issues. Our members are fully engaged and will be ready in the event CP carries out the notice."

The union says key issues include wages, benefits, pensions, and work rules.