Seeing what I see every day, it's hard to believe CN is profitable. - Transportation CN Employee Review

2.0
Apr 1, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Decent pay, however that pay is horribly affected by deductions... ESIP share program is a handy money saving tool. Exercise and being outdoors... Watching the beautiful sunsets and knowing your friends and family are probably watching them too, (albeit likely from a patio lounge chair 200 miles away, without you, as you've only just begun the Saturday night shift.)

Cons

Broken promises from day one in the interview. Pay isn't as high as promised, upward potential in the company isn't as promised. Hard work is not rewarded here. It's a very dissatisfying place to work so it is best to try to shut your brain off and wait two weeks for your cheque to come in. One of the big disappointments of working here (in Toronto, in the horrible Transportation Dept.) is that it is managed by people who are completely incompetent, and are clearly without any education in management whatsoever. This incompetence is on full display every single day, particularly when it comes to addressing employee safety related issues. Management at CN talk about safety all the time, but it has become clear over the years that Safety here has its conditions. Here's the motto : "Safety is number 1! (But only when convenient or inexpensive! )" And guess what, when understaffed front line management are completely pounded into the ground by their overwhelming 14 hour work days, immediate action on safety is NEVER convenient. Poisonous interactions with supervisors are commonplace, and if you step out of line, you are targeted by management. When this happens, there is nothing you can do, no amount of hard work can spare you. 'Love the job, hate the company', is a motto I've heard many times. People don't quit jobs, they quit bosses, and this place has many bosses worth quitting over. CN has no regard for the environment whatsoever. Oil spills, contaminants coming out of rail cars... No need to clean it up, it'll rain eventually. I'm shocked at what I see sometimes, and the fact that Transport Canada doesn't demand more of our national railways is tragic, esp after Lac Megantic.

Explore other reviews about CN

5.0
Apr 2, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Its what you make of it. Good union job with good benefits

Cons

You're always waiting on trains.

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CN Response
2mo
Thank you for your feedback and for your hard work. We pride ourselves on providing our team members with great benefits. We thank you for moving our business and the economy forward. Please share your thoughts with your manager and on your regular Interaction surveys.
4.0
Apr 13, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Pays decently well for first job out of college. My manager and team are very reasonable with expectations placed on new hires. Working after office hours (past 4:30pm) is extremely rare and only expected in emergencies.

Cons

Very slow and/or limited job growth potential. Promotions into middle management are almost purely based on reputation with middle managers who are largely people with previous field experience. This is very disadvantageous to direct-from-college hires like myself and even my current manager.

avatar
CN Response
2mo
Thank you for your feedback and for your hard work. We pride ourselves on providing our team members with great pay. With a 24/7/365 operation CN could not function without its dedicated employees. We thank you for moving our business and the economy forward. Remember to leverage your development plan to have career discussions with your leader and please share your thoughts on your regular Interaction surveys.
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