(Reuters circulated the following article by Allan Dowd on March 21.)
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The union representing 2,800 workers who struck Canadian National Railway Co. for more than two weeks in February has extended the vote on a proposed contract that has split the labor organization.
The United Transportation Union (UTU) will count ballots in the mail-in vote on April 10 instead of March 26 as had originally been scheduled, according to a note to members posted on the union’s Web site on Tuesday.
Union officials said the deadline was pushed back because some workers had not received ballots. Canadian National sent a note to its customers on Tuesday saying that it had agreed to the union’s request to delay the vote.
The UTU, which represents CN’s conductors, brakemen and switching crews in Canada, is officially still on strike, but most workers returned to their jobs in late February at the union’s request while the deal was being voted on.
UTU leaders have warned the labor disruption could resume if workers reject the tentative contract deal, which is actively being lobbied against by a dissident faction that wants the workers to join the rival Teamsters union.
The 15-day strike in February significantly slowed freight service on the largest of Canada’s two national railways, forcing layoffs in the forestry and auto industries.
UTU leaders say rejection of the deal will prompt the federal government to intervene and impose a contract more favorable to the railroad, but opponents of the deal have accused its supporters of waging a scare campaign.
The one-year contract includes a 3 percent wage hike and C$1,000 ($860) ratification bonus.
UTU negotiators have said they had no choice but to settle for a one-year deal because the government was already poised to legislate an end to the strike, and the union needed to settle its internal fight before contract talks resumed.
The Teamsters, who already represent CN’s locomotive engineers, have asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board to allow UTU members to vote on which union they want to represent them.
The strike did not involve Canadian National’s crews in the United States or on some of its lines in northern Alberta and northern Quebec.