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Yesterday, the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) announced that members ratified new agreements with CN and one of its subsidiaries by an 82 percent majority in a series of ratification meetings that occurred during the past three weeks. The parties reached tentative agreements on Jan. 24.

Retroactive to Jan. 1 and expiring Dec. 31, 2014, the contracts provide wage increases each year and a signing bonus, increase health care spending accounts for retirees, and include a number of other benefit and work/life improvements. The pacts also “contain progressive provisions to help CN retain and attract skilled employees critical to its workforce in the years ahead,” CN officials said in a prepared statement.

The CAW represents about 3,400 CN workers, including mechanical and clerical/intermodal employees, and excavator operators, as well as 575 owner-operator truck drivers at the Class I’s CNTL subsidiary.

Meanwhile, more than 50 CAW workplace leaders last week endorsed a tentative agreement reached with Canadian Pacific on Feb. 5. The union — which represents about 2,100 CP mechanical services workers — is conducting ratification meetings with members across Canada.