Last group of Unifor members approve new agreement with CN

TORONTO, March 18, 2015 /CNW/ - Unifor Local 100 members have ratified the final new agreement with CN Rail by 79 per cent.

Voting took place at membership meetings over the last two weeks, in 22 locations across Canada. The agreement was reached on Monday, February 23, avoiding a lock-out by CN.

"This agreement showed that we were able to chart our own pattern at CN and not simply accept what had already been negotiated by other unions," said Unifor Local 100 President Ken Hiatt. "In negotiating a new agreement, we were able to resolve the concerns that our members at CN have raised and improve their conditions at work."

Unifor Local 100 members conduct safety inspections on all rail cars and locomotives, as well as maintenance and repairs.  Local 100 is the largest bargaining unit at CN with 2,100 members.

The agreement included wage increases in each of the four years, improvements to benefits, stronger job security, stronger apprenticeship ratios, the re-establishment of the joint health and safety committee and provisions that will see the in- sourcing of work and new jobs created. Unifor and CN will also partner to create a fund which will focus largely on initiatives related to women's equality and aboriginal issues.

Highlights of the Unifor Local 100 -CN agreement can be viewed here:
http://www.unifor.org/sites/default/files/documents/document/unifor-cnlocal100_feb_2015.pdf

Unifor has six collective agreements with CN Rail, which cover mechanics, clerical workers, excavator operators, locomotive engineers (Savage Rail) and truck drivers. Unifor Local 100 represents skilled trades in mechanical shops.  Unifor is the largest union at CN with 4,800 members.

Unifor represents 9,000 railway workers and 305,000 members across the country in every sector of the economy.

SOURCE Unifor

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