CN, CNTL and Savage Alberta Railway Bargaining Update
January 28, 2015
Dear Unifor Rail Members,
Your Unifor CN Master Bargaining Committees met in caucus in Winnipeg on Monday January 26, 2015. The purpose of the meeting was to determine the next steps we would take in order to conclude this round of negotiations.
There was a lot of frustration in the room and clearly the tactics employed by the company have, in our view, been roadblocks to reaching a negotiated settlement. CN began the bargaining process by expressing their desire to reach an early settlement thereby avoiding the involvement of the customers and making costly contingency plans. A few weeks after making this declaration, CN served its Notice of Dispute and applied for conciliation. This is a process necessary in the federally regulated sector which triggers the timeline to placing the parties in a legal strike or lockout position. The union is not and will not be in a position to call a strike until we have taken strike votes, as per the Canada Labour Code and the Unifor Constitution.
Following their application for conciliation, the company then said to the union, that an early deal would be beneficial to both sides. In response, the union brought all 5 Unifor Bargaining Committees to Montreal in December, with the objective of reaching a settlement covering all Unifor collective agreements. After bargaining for a few days, it became clear to the union, that the company was not willing to resolve the outstanding non-economic issues in order to move to main table monetary discussions involving all 5 Unifor CN Bargaining Committees.
At a January 20, 2015 meeting with CN, the Local Presidents along with representatives of the National Union, reinforced our position that we have demonstrated by our words and actions, that it is our intention to reach the best settlement possible on behalf of our members. Our message to CN is to concentrate their efforts on reaching an agreement that rewards our members for their contribution to the enormous success CN has experienced over the past 4 years which will, without question, continue into the future.
We are desirous of returning to the bargaining table and negotiate a settlement with the employer that would receive the unanimous recommendation of the bargaining committees and ultimately a high acceptance through the ratification process. We have scheduled the resumption of negotiations commencing February 9, 2015 in Montreal. That week all 5 Unifor Bargaining committees will return to Montreal in an attempt to reach a negotiated settlement.
CN must come to the bargaining tables prepared to reach a settlement. They must recognize that Unifor bargaining committees have set a bargaining agenda which we intend on pursuing. We are unanimous in our determination to reach a settlement that reflects our autonomy. CN must focus on negotiations, not on making preparations for a phantom strike, which we are not in a position to enact without membership approval. CN needs to focus on rewarding their workers, our members for their ongoing contribution to the success the company and continuing hard work.
In closing, thank you for your continued support and solidarity as we continue to act in your best interest and take the steps we feel necessary to bargain the best settlement possible.
Source: Unifor RailLINE
Previous bargaining updates > Unifor Council 4000 Bargaining Updates Page
Your Unifor CN Master Bargaining Committees met in caucus in Winnipeg on Monday January 26, 2015. The purpose of the meeting was to determine the next steps we would take in order to conclude this round of negotiations.
There was a lot of frustration in the room and clearly the tactics employed by the company have, in our view, been roadblocks to reaching a negotiated settlement. CN began the bargaining process by expressing their desire to reach an early settlement thereby avoiding the involvement of the customers and making costly contingency plans. A few weeks after making this declaration, CN served its Notice of Dispute and applied for conciliation. This is a process necessary in the federally regulated sector which triggers the timeline to placing the parties in a legal strike or lockout position. The union is not and will not be in a position to call a strike until we have taken strike votes, as per the Canada Labour Code and the Unifor Constitution.
Following their application for conciliation, the company then said to the union, that an early deal would be beneficial to both sides. In response, the union brought all 5 Unifor Bargaining Committees to Montreal in December, with the objective of reaching a settlement covering all Unifor collective agreements. After bargaining for a few days, it became clear to the union, that the company was not willing to resolve the outstanding non-economic issues in order to move to main table monetary discussions involving all 5 Unifor CN Bargaining Committees.
At a January 20, 2015 meeting with CN, the Local Presidents along with representatives of the National Union, reinforced our position that we have demonstrated by our words and actions, that it is our intention to reach the best settlement possible on behalf of our members. Our message to CN is to concentrate their efforts on reaching an agreement that rewards our members for their contribution to the enormous success CN has experienced over the past 4 years which will, without question, continue into the future.
We are desirous of returning to the bargaining table and negotiate a settlement with the employer that would receive the unanimous recommendation of the bargaining committees and ultimately a high acceptance through the ratification process. We have scheduled the resumption of negotiations commencing February 9, 2015 in Montreal. That week all 5 Unifor Bargaining committees will return to Montreal in an attempt to reach a negotiated settlement.
CN must come to the bargaining tables prepared to reach a settlement. They must recognize that Unifor bargaining committees have set a bargaining agenda which we intend on pursuing. We are unanimous in our determination to reach a settlement that reflects our autonomy. CN must focus on negotiations, not on making preparations for a phantom strike, which we are not in a position to enact without membership approval. CN needs to focus on rewarding their workers, our members for their ongoing contribution to the success the company and continuing hard work.
In closing, thank you for your continued support and solidarity as we continue to act in your best interest and take the steps we feel necessary to bargain the best settlement possible.
Source: Unifor RailLINE
Previous bargaining updates > Unifor Council 4000 Bargaining Updates Page