Unifor Council 4000 ratifies three CN agreements

CN announced last week that union members have ratified three of four tentative agreements reached between CN and Unifor Council 4000 negotiators in March.

The three ratified agreements, reached prior to their expiration, cover 2,000 CN railroaders in Canada, including all clerks and intermodal workers, excavator-operators, as well as conductors and locomotive engineers working on the SAR internal short line in northern Alberta, Canada, according to a CN press release.

The agreements include wage increases, ratification bonuses and improved medical, dental and health-care benefits as well as modified work/rest rules, CN officials said.

"I would like to congratulate the negotiation teams on both sides for achieving mutually beneficial agreements for our railroaders. These agreements will also drive shareholder and customer value as they are a step toward long-term labor stability," said CN President and Chief Executive Officer JJ Ruest.

CN "remains committed" to finding an amicable resolution for the fourth agreement, which was not approved, company officials said. The fourth agreement would cover owner-operator truck drivers of Canadian National Transportation Ltd.