CN avoids massive strike

MONTREAL — CN Rail says it has reached a tentative contract with the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) union, which effectively cancels a strike by 3,400 workers on Jan. 25.

Clerical, intermodal workers, shopcraft workers and 575 trucking owner-operators at CN’s trucking subsidiary, CNTL, were set to walk of the job this week before the deal was reached.

Canada’s other main railway, Canadian Pacific, continues to face a potential strike on Feb. 8, however.

Over 2,100 CP mechanical workers across Canada still do not have a new contract in place, but this deal between the CAW and CN could spur on a agreement.

CP says that it has contingency plans in place in the event of a strike, including using about 1,200 managers on the front lines.

According to a pres release, details of the agreement between CN and the union will be made available once it’s ratified by the end of February.

The company did say, though, that the new contract provides "fair wage and benefit increases to CAW members. In addition, the settlements contain progressive provisions that would help CN retain and attract skilled employees critical to its workforce in the years ahead."