UPDATE 1-CN Rail in tentative labor deal with train engineers union

Source: Reuters

Canadian National Rail said on Saturday that it has reached a tentative labor agreement with the union representing its train engineers in Canada.

Canada's largest railway said the deal with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, which covers about 1,800 locomotive engineers, will be put to a ratification vote by mid-April, when results will be made public. The Montreal-based rail operator did not disclose the agreement's details, pending the vote.

CN Rail is still in talks with Unifor, the union that represents about 4,800 workers, including clerical employees and truck operators.

Unifor and the Teamsters have also been negotiating with Canadian Pacific Railway, the country's No. 2 railroad. But unlike CP, neither union had announced a strike deadline at CN Rail.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/15/canadiannationalrailway-union-idUSL1N0VO0OA20150215

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Also see: 5,000 rail workers could be off the job by Sunday if deal is not reached: http://www.theprovince.com/business/5000+rail+workers+could+Sunday+deal+reached/10815219/story.html


BY MORGAN LOWRIE, THE CANADIAN PRESS FEBRUARY 14, 2015 5:08 PM

MONTREAL - The parties involved in negotiations between Canadian Pacific Railway and two of its unions are hopeful that a deal can be reached before the unions decide to through on threatened job action.

Both Unifor, which represents safety and maintenance workers, and the Teamsters Canada Rail conference union, representing locomotive engineers and other train workers, have issued strike notices that would allow employees to walk off Sunday morning.

A strike would put approximately 5,000 workers off the job and could hamper both freight and passenger train service across the country.

Brian Stevens, National Rail Director for Unifor, said Saturday that several major issues remained to be worked out, but he was "cautiously optimistic" of reaching a deal that would keep Unifor's 1,800 workers from striking.

FULL story at link.



Canadian Pacific locomotives sit idle at the CP Cote-St-Luc yards in Montreal, Saturday, February 14, 2015. Last-minute negotiations are continuing between Canadian Pacific Railway and two of its unions in the hopes of averting a weekend strike. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes