(The following repot by Roma Luciw appeared on the Globe and Mail website on March 18.)
TORONTO — About 5,000 striking Canadian National Railway Co. workers, about a third of its Canadian work force, have voted to ratify a new three-year deal and will be back on the job Saturday.
The ratification vote caps an a four-week strike by members of the Canadian Auto Workers’ Union. Two locals of the union, composed of mechanics, customer service, and clerical employees, voted 69 per cent and 81 per cent in favour of the agreement.
The deal includes the same 3-per-cent annual wage increases as an earlier offer the workers rejected, but also a $1,000 signing bonus, improved shift differentials, and CN’s agreement to revert to an old disciplinary system.
“We have shown the management of this railway that commercial success is not enough,” said a joint statement from two CAW union presidents. “The workers, who are the authors of that success, must be treated with dignity and respect.”
Owner-operators are currently voting on their own contract settlement, also reached last Monday, the CAW said.