Unifor National Council 4000 VIA Rail Bargaining Survey Results
October 28, 2015

Below are the results of our Unifor National Council 4000 VIA Rail Bargaining Survey taken amongst our VIA Rail membership governed under Collective Agreements 1 and 2. The surveys were distributed nationally in preparation for our negotiations with VIA. These results were used by our bargaining committee in determining and prioritizing our overall bargaining agenda.

No.

Demand

% of Total Surveys

1

Sick/Personal Leave Days

60%

2

Improve Wages

49%

3

Maintain/Improve Pension

37%

4

Improve Health Benefits

36%

5

Maintain/Improve Rail Passes

28%

6

Improve Rest Provisions

27%

7

Maintain Supplemental Agreement (Employment Security & Income Mtce)

19%

8

Improve Work Schedules

18%

9

Part-time Issues

17%

10

Vacation Improvements

13%

11

Proper Crewing/Augmentation of Crews

12%

12

Eliminate 8.5 and 9 Hour Shifts and Paid Lunch Break (Agreement 1)

12%

13

Increase 10 Hour Work Days to Provide Longer Rest Days

10%

14

Parking (Montreal Agreement 2 only)

10%

15

More Held Time (Agreement 2)

8%

16

Chef/Cook Wage Increases

7%

17

Chef to have more Supervisory Control

7%

18

Consider Flex Benefits System

7%

19

Women/Equity Advocate

4%

20

Per Diems

4%

21

Reporting Time at Hotel or Shuttle/Taxi (Agreement 2)

4%

22

Deferred Paid Vacation

4%

23

Allowance to Break Work Cycles when Sick (Agreement 2)

4%

24

Increase Meal Allowance

4%

25

Improve Grievance/Arbitration Process

4%

26

More Guaranteed Hours/Work Less Than 160 Hours (Agreement 2)

3%

27

SM Wages in Corridor Same as Transcontinental

2%

28

Apprentice Program

2%

29

Abolish Split Trick Assignments

2%

30

Improve Job Sharing

2%

31

Taxi After Hours

1%

32

No Financial Loss when Displaced (Agreement 2)

1%

 

The Unifor National Council 4000 VIA Rail Bargaining Committee met in Montreal the week of September 14, 2015 to formulate our contract demands and proposals. 

Negotiations will officially kick off on October 30, 2015 in Montreal. We will inform our membership via our Council 4000 website, social media sites and Unifor RailLINE.