Unifor, CN Begin Bargaining Talks
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
CN Master Bargaining Committee (Photograph and Caption Courtesy of CNW Group/Unifor)
Unifor on Oct. 19 reported opening bargaining for a new collective agreement with CN.
Unifor, Canada’s largest private-sector union, represents about 3,600 workers at Local 100 and Council 4000, who work at CN’s terminals and headquarters across Canada. They include mechanics, crane operators, machinists and electricians, clerical and administration, and customer support, among others. Local 100 and Council 4000’s collective agreement expires on Dec. 31, 2022.
Both sides exchanged proposals and have agreed to meet and continue negotiations in November and December, according to Unifor, which noted that the “union proposals include but are not limited to enhancements in wages and benefits and addressing the on-going issue of contracting out unionized work.”
“The fact is that during a time of record inflation CN is reporting record quarterly earnings,” Unifor National President Lana Payne said. “Without our members at the helm, this company wouldn’t have been able to get even close to that, and they deserve to be compensated fairly and treated with respect.”
CN told Railway Age in an Oct. 21 email that “We look forward to further constructive discussions with Unifor.”
Unifor said it represents than 315,000 members across the country, “working in every major sector of the Canadian economy.”
