(The Canadian Press circulated the following story on August 31.)
MONTREAL — Via Rail employees have ratified a new three-year labour contract that gives them a cumulative wage increase of more than 10 per cent, a union spokesman said Tuesday.
The 2,500 members of the Canadian Auto Workers, representing 90 per cent of the Crown corporation’s employees, voted 81 per cent in favour of the deal, while the participation rate of voters was 80 per cent.
The contract, retroactive to last Jan. 1, provides for a wage increase of three per cent the first year, four per cent the second year and another three per cent in the final year, said spokesman Abe Rosner.
Workers will get a long-term disability plan, which will cost them nothing. There will also be more staff on trains.
Union members had voted in favour of strike action which threatened to close the country’s national passenger rail service during the summer.
The union members work in train stations, on board trains and in equipment maintenance.