CN workers ratify a new labour agreement

The 1,800 locomotive engineers of the Teamsters Union working for CN have ratified a new collective agreement...

OTTAWA, Jan. 27, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Canadian National's 1,800 locomotive engineers have ratified a new collective agreement. Ninety-five percent voted in favour of the deal, which will expire in 2014.

The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) has set up a new electronic voting system for this vote, supervised by an outside firm. Seventy percent of the members has cast a vote.

"This is a historic vote," said TCRC president Rex Beatty. "The results clearly show our members' resounding endorsement of this agreement."

Highlights include a 9% increase of the wages over the term of the contract and improvements to a number of non monetary clauses. The grievance procedures and rest time have been improved. The Union made no concessions.

"We used a very different strategy for this bargaining round and it paid off, showing that the Teamsters Union can be both a watchdog for workers and a partner for the employer," added the TCRC president.

The outcome of these negotiations once again demonstrates the usefulness of unions in maintaining good labour conditions for workers and protecting jobs.

The Teamsters Union represents 125,000 members in Canada in all trades. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, with which Teamsters Canada is affiliated, has 1.4 million members in North America.

Stéphane Lacroix, Director of Communications, Teamsters Canada
Mobile: [phone]
Office: 450-682-5521 x236
Email: [email protected]