Two Unions Representing 3,000 Canadian National Railway Workers Vote in Favor of a Strike
CN Rail unions vote overwhelmingly in favour of strike action
Two unions currently engaged in contract talks with the Canadian National (CN) Railway have voted in favor of strike action, according to reporting by CityNews Calgary (3-5-23). Members of Unifor Local 100 and Unifor Council 4000 have voted 98% and 97%, respectively, in favor of a work stoppage after contract talks with the railway broke down in February.
The two unions represent 3,000 workers in mechanical, intermodal, and clerical positions across Canada, whose agreement expired at the end of 2022. Unifor says there have been five bargaining sessions with the CN since October 2022. On December 9, 2022, Unifor filed for conciliation to move the bargaining process forward and claims the CN countered with an offer “demanding significant concessions.”
The two sides are scheduled to be back at the bargaining table in Montreal on March 13th in an attempt to get a new deal, which could prevent a possible walkout. CityNews says that CN Rail does not expect any labor action to impact its operations.
The earliest the two unions could walk off the job is March 21st.
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