Class I Briefs: CN, UP
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
Unifor Local 100 ends strike, ratifying a three-year agreement, at the CN Autoport in Nova Scotia. (CNW Group/Unifor)
Unifor ends a 37-day strike at CN Autoport in Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia. Also, Union Pacific (UP) participates in a groundbreaking ceremony for a railroad spur to serve an Oklahoma-based industrial park.
CN
The 239 Unifor Local 100 members working at CN Autoport have ratified a new three-year agreement, following a strike action that began Feb. 27. The union reported April 3 that the new agreement will provide wage increases in each of the three years; lump sum bonuses in years one and two; an additional paid personal day; and improvements to vacation, pensions, and the cost of benefits.
CN Autoport, a wholly owned subsidiary of CN, processes and transships close to 185,000 vehicles annually.
“This agreement marks a solid step forward for Autoport workers,” said Cory Will, President of Unifor Local 100. “We can take pride in knowing we have fought back and got a better agreement for our members.”
Unifor is said to be Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy.
UP
UP Senior Director Economic Development Aaron Evans on March 28 joined local and state officials for the groundbreaking of a railroad spur to the Soldier Creek Industrial Park in Midwest City, Okla. When completed, the spur will provide rail connectivity to the American Glass, Inc., headquarters that is currently under construction.
“Union Pacific congratulates Arkansas-Oklahoma Railroad on their commitment to provide rail service to the industrial park and we look forward to working together to provide safe and reliable service throughout the western U.S.,” the Class I railroad wrote in an April 3 LinkedIn post.
The project will be funded, in part, by federal and Midwest City Economic Development Authority (MCEDA) grants.
Another rail spur linking the Centrillium Protein development in Midwest City is also in the works, according to MCEDA, which approved an investment of nearly $3.4 million to build both.
