Canadian National and Unifor have negotiated a tentative labor agreement with the Unifor union. As a result, CN has withdrawn its lockout notice to Unifor, which would have come effective at 11p.m. local time tonight in the absence of a settlement.
Details of the tentative agreement are being withheld pending ratification by Unifor members. The union is expected to announce the results of the ratification vote in the next three weeks. CN stated its unhappiness during earlier labor talks with Unifor's requirement that the railroad make cash contributions to a union fund for political and community action.
"We are very pleased that the company and union were able to find common ground on a tentative new labor contract," said Claude Mongeau, president and chief executive officer of CN. "This settlement forecloses the prospect of a potential labor disruption that would have harmed CN's employees, its customers and the Canadian economy."
"I am very pleased that CN and Unifor were able to renew their collective agreements this evening eliminating any threat to the Canadian economy," said Dr. K. Kellie Leitch, Canadian minister of Labour and minister of Status of Women. "I know that it will benefit not only the parties involved but all Canadians. I firmly believe that the best solution is always the one that the parties reach themselves."
Unifor represents 4,800 CN employees in four bargaining units at CN – clerical/intermodal; mechanical; CNTL truck owner-operators; and excavator-operators.