MONTREAL, Sept. 27,
2024 /CNW/ - Unifor has filed for conciliation
with CN Rail in an effort to move talks into a positive direction.
The union is hopeful that with the involvement of a conciliator,
progress can be made on key issues.
"CN Rail came to the table with demands for concessions that
would undermine our members' rights and working conditions," said
Unifor National President Lana
Payne. "Our mandate is clear: to improve the working
conditions of our members, not to roll back hard-earned gains from
previous rounds of bargaining."
Adding to the challenges at the bargaining table, within 24
hours of negotiations commencing, the employer issued notice to the
union of its intent to lay off at least 65 Unifor members.
"This move to serve notice to the union to layoff members in the
midst of negotiations is very telling. My message to CN Rail is a
clear one. We will not be intimidated by these tactics," said
Payne.
Unifor remains committed to achieving a fair collective
agreement that recognizes the critical contributions of its members
at CN Rail.
Unifor represents 3,600 CN Rail members at Local 100 and Council
4000, who work at CN terminals and HQ across Canada, including rail car technicians,
heavy-duty mechanics, and diesel engine mechanics, crane operators,
machinists and electricians, as well as clerical and
administration, customer support, and fleet mechanics, among
others.
For more information and updates, please visit
unifor.org/cnbargaining2024.
Unifor is Canada's largest
union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every
major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working
people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in
Canada and abroad and strives to
create progressive change for a better future.
SOURCE Unifor