Canadian National to negotiate with the Canadian Auto Workers on contract settlement

Canadian National believes it can reach a contract settlement with the Canadian Auto Workers without labour disruption and was scheduled to negotiate with the union on March 3 and 4 with the help of federal mediators.

CN was responding to the CAW’s decision to give CN notice of its intention to strike the railroad on Wednesday, March 7, 2001, if negotiations do not produce a settlement.

CN said it has tabled a fair, reasonable offer of settlement with the CAW that is consistent with the pattern of Canadian rail industry labour agreements negotiated and ratified by major rail unions in the past year at CN and Canadian Pacific Railway.

To date, CN has secured ratified agreements with the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees and the Canadian National Railways Police Association; a tentative agreement has been signed with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

CN is seeking a three-year agreement with the CAW to replace one that expired Dec. 31, 2000. The CAW represents about 5,000 active CN employees in Canada.

If negotiations do not succeed and a strike occurs, CN said it intends to continue operations with management personnel performing CAW shopcraft, clerical and intermodal jobs.