CN unions ratify new contract

Unions representing workers at CN have ratified four contracts.

Unifor Local 100 and Council 4000 membership at Canadian National (CN) Rail have ratified a new two-year contract.

The deal with CN was reached in the last week of March, 2023.

They cover approximately 3,000 CN employees. Unifor Local 100 represents Skilled Trades in mechanical shops and Unifor Council 4000 represents intermodal, clerical, mechanics and excavator operators.  Unifor Local 100 represents skilled trades in mechanical shops and Unifor Council 4000 represents intermodal, clerical, mechanics and excavator operators. Unifor is the largest union at CN.

“When we opened contract talks with CN last fall, while the Company was reporting massive profits, we were insistent that rail workers deserve to be compensated well and treated with respect,” said Lana Payne, Unifor national president.

“This agreement represents a significant step forward for our CN Rail members, including important improvements in wages, benefits, and job security. I commend the Unifor Council 4000 and Local 100 committees for their determination and resolve. They did an outstanding job, and I congratulate them for their relentless attention to detail and their unconditional care for rail members.”

The four ratified collective agreements cover Unifor Local 100 and Council 4000 members across the country. Unifor’s two National Bargaining Committees opened negotiations with CN in October 2022.

“This was an extremely challenging and complex round of bargaining,” said Dave Kissack, president of Unifor Council 4000.

“With concessions on the table, we needed the support of our membership. I would like to thank them because it was only with membership support for the bargaining team that we were able to force the company to remove concessions.”

“This agreement is a product of almost two full months of tough negotiations,” said Cory Will, president of Unifor Local 100. “Coming out of a pandemic and with global economic uncertainty, the bargaining committee knew it had its work cut out for them but with the support of members from across the country, we stood firm and were able to negotiate a fair contract.

The new contract will expire December 31, 2024.