2016 - The Year in Review
December 31,  2016

As we enter a New Year – 2017 – which incidentally is a year that mark Canada's 150th birthday, we look back at the year 2016 and some of the issues and stories featured on unifor4000.com and our Unifor National Council 4000 social media sites. It was a very busy year for Council 4000 and Unifor, as you will see by the various news articles posted below.
 
January 2016
 
Unifor Local 4001 President John Dowell released from hospital
It is with much pleasure that in one of our first articles we posted and shared in the New Year of 2016, was the news that John Dowell, then the President of Unifor Local 4001, was released from hospital on January 8, 2016, where he had been since being admitted on October 3, 2015 and immediately undergoing several rounds of surgery. Brother Dowell remained in ICU for over a month.  John and his family extend thanks and warm wishes to the staff of the Grey Nuns Hospital in Edmonton for the incredible care they gave John during the three months he was hospitalized, and went on to thank everyone for their concerns and well wishes during the period he was hospitalized. 

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16jan11002-john-dowell-update.html
 
Unifor Council 4000 to start negotiations with Toronto Terminals Railway January 21
Negotiations between Unifor National Council 4000 and Toronto Terminals Railway (TTR) commenced on January 21 and 22, 2016 in Toronto. The official opening, which included an informal exchange of proposals from both sides, was conducted on December 3, 2015. TTR submitted a short list of contract proposals, but their short list included items contradictory with several proposals tabled by the Union. The Union's bargaining proposals were formulated based on our members' suggestions as compiled during our TTR Bargaining Surveys completed in July 2015, as well as input from representatives of the bargaining committee. 
 
Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16jan18003-unifor4000-ttr-bargaining.html
 
Unifor Council 4000/Local 4003 member Cordy Krammer has died; leaves to mourn 17 year old son Ryan
We were saddened to announce the sudden passing of Unifor National Council 4000 / Local 4003 member Cordy (Cordelia) Krammer on January 14, 2016. Sister Krammer was 52 years of age and was employed by CN, working under Unifor Agreement 5.1 for many years on various clerical jobs. She had 25 years’ service and seniority at CN. Sister Krammer left behind her 17-year old son Ryan, who sadly had no immediate family. Ryan’s grandparents passed away years earlier, so it was just him and his Mom. Ryan has Asperger Syndrome, which is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. A ‘gofundme’ page was started to raise donations to help out young Ryan Krammer, and many Unifor Council 4000 and Local 4003 members made donations, along with Local 4003 and Council 4000. 

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16jan25006-cordy-krammer-passing.html​


February 2016
 
February is Black History Month 
Every month of February is Black History Month. Unifor Council 4000 is pleased to recognize and celebrate the heritage, traditions and culture of the people of African descent and diaspora.
 
Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16feb01007-black-history-month.html

CN profits rise, shareholder dividends increase, but workers face layoffs
In early February, we published and shared a news article over layoffs at the country's largest railway, CN. CN's workforce decreased by 9% in 2015 (2,300 employees), with about 1,150 employees laid off at the end of 2015. The Company also implemented a hiring freeze. Despite employee layoffs, shareholders saw a 20% increase in CN's 2016 quarterly common-share dividend. And CN's profits actually rose by 12 per cent to $3.5-billion, or $4.39 a share, while Revenue rose by 4 per cent to a record $12.6-billion for the year 2015. But this was at the expense of workers.
 
Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16feb05008-cn-layoffs.html
 
30 years since the Hinton train disaster: Are Canada's railways going back in time? Train crew fatigue becoming a concern at Canada's railways 
We commemorated the 30th anniversary of the Hinton train disaster, one of Canada's worst train disasters which happened 16 kms east of Hinton, Alberta, which is located between Jasper and Edmonton. On the morning of February 8, 1986, a CN freight train travelling at 96 km/h at the time of impact, ran head-on with a VIA Rail passenger train, leaving 23 dead and 95 people injured. It was the most lethal rail disaster in Canada since another head-on collision in September 1947 at Dugald, Manitoba, 23 kms east of Winnipeg that killed 31 people. The Hinton disaster was not surpassed until the Lac-Mégantic, Quebec disaster on July 6, 2013 that killed 47. The subsequent Commission of Inquiry over the Hinton train disaster, headed by Justice Rene P. Foisy of the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench, concluded that the CN train crew ignored signals to stop and "failed to follow established railway operating rules.” Commissioner Foisy reported that the train crew demonstrated a lack of alertness and was probably experiencing chronic fatigue, a complaint that is increasing today amongst running trades workers at both CN and CP, including our Council 4000/Local 4001 members who work at CN as Conductors and Locomotive Engineers in northwestern Alberta. The article posted below received much attention from our membership and the public, as it was one of the most viewed articles since we started our webpage in 1998. And it drew criticisms from senior management at both CN and CP; the truth hurts we guess!

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16feb15010-30years-hinton-train-disaster.html​
 

March 2016
 
International Women's Week & International Women's Day
On March 8, 2016, we helped celebrate International Women's Day (IWD). Each March, Unifor National Council 4000 both recognizes and celebrates the economic, social, cultural and political achievements of women, and the progress made to advance equality for women and to assess the challenges that remain.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16mar06011-international-womens-day.html
 
Railway Labour Summit Meeting
March 17 and 18, 2016, all the Union's representing Canada's railway workers held their second Railway Labour Summit Meeting in Montreal. The first meetings were held in February 2014.

​Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16mar14013-railway-labour-summit-meeting.html

Unifor files Conciliation Request in VIA Rail Negotiations
After a number of week-long bargaining sessions with bargaining representatives of VIA Rail Canada, Unifor's National Bargaining Committees for Collective Agreements 1 and 2 (Council 4000) and 3 (Local 100) came to a unanimous decision to file our request for conciliation in order to move the bargaining process along. All Unifor/VIA Collective Agreements expired on December 31, 2015. 

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16mar18014-unifor4000-via-conciliation.html

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Sadly, today we still witness various forms of racial discrimination, which is why every year, Unifor National Council 4000 recognizes the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, an important day that is observed every March 21st.
 
Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16mar20015-int-day-elimination-of-racial-discrimination.html

Rocky Mountain Catering Company negotiations
Our collective agreement with Rocky Mountain Catering Company Ltd. (RMCC) expired on December 31, 2015. Our RMCC membership, 56 members of Unifor Council 4000 and Local 4001, are employed as Sous Chefs, Cooks, Culinary Crew Members and Kitchen personnel based in Vancouver and Kamloops, British Columbia. ​In addition to preparing gourmet meals on-board the Rocky Mountaineer Tourist train that runs through the Rocky Mountains in B.C. and Alberta, RMCC also caters events in the B.C. Interior and Lower Mainland of the Greater Vancouver Area. After several meetings, we finally reached a tentative agreement in March and immediately began the ratification process.  
Happy Holi
Over the past few years, our Council 4000 membership has grown across Canada. With that growth, we have seen hundreds of new members of Indian ethnic origin. With many hundreds of Indo-Canadian members, we believe it is appropriate to post and share articles on our website and social media sites about the Holi Festival held every March. Holi is an ancient Hindu religious festival, known as the festival of colours or the festival of love.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16mar22017-happy-holi.html

​
April 2016

Rail Safety Week
Every year, approximately 100 Canadians die or suffer serious injuries on railway tracks they should not be on. There are some 16,000 public highway-railway crossings in Canada and most collisions occur within 40 km of the person’s home. As Unifor National Council 4000 represent over 4,400 workers in the railway industry across Canada is why we published and shared a news story on Rail Safety Week.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16apr24020-rail-safety-week.html
 
April 28 is the National Day of Mourning
Each 28th day of April, Unifor National Council 4000 recognizes the National Day of Mourning to commemorate workers killed, injured or disabled on the job, or who suffer from occupational related illnesses.  This day is also intended to show Canadians' concern for occupational health and safety.
 
Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16apr25021-april28-day-of-mourning.html

Unifor Rail Local Chairperson Training
Unifor held dedicated training for its railway leadership at the Unifor Family Education Centre at Port Elgin, Ontario.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16apr26022-unifor-rail-local-training.html


May 2016
 
Unifor files for conciliation for negotiations with Toronto Terminals Railway
Unifor filed for conciliation for its negotiations with Toronto Terminals Railway (TTR) in light of the significant challenges we faced during this round of contract negotiations with TTR, given the significant concessionary demands that the Company tabled on the Union.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16may01023-unifor4000-ttr-conciliation.html

International Workers’ Day – May Day
On May 1st, we recognized International Workers’ Day – May Day. May Day is a day to honour the history and many struggles of those who have worked tirelessly to improve the lives of working people all over the world. 
 
Read more >  http://www.unifor4000.com/16may01025-may-day.html
 
Unifor Council 4000 negotiates special terms to minimize adverse effects on Winnipeg CN membership
In January 2016, CN served notice to the Union pursuant to the provisions of Article 8.1(a) of the Employment Security and Income Maintenance Agreement (ESIMA) advising they were permanently abolishing three positions in the Public Affairs department in downtown Winnipeg effective April 26, 2016. ​The Company did not stipulate in the notice what would happen with the work that has been performed for many years by Senior Public Inquiry Representatives at Public Affairs in Winnipeg, unionized positions that are governed under Unifor Collective Agreement 5.1. Sadly, despite CN regularly denying such, this is another case of CN eroding the clerical side of the Council 4000 Bargaining Unit, something that has sadly been transpiring for decades.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16may13026-cn-winnipeg-article84.html  

Unifor Council 4000 Layoffs at CN  |  Important info for members in the event of layoff or recall
The continuing down turn in CN freight rail traffic traffic in the first half of 2016, plus the approximate 450 locomotives that were placed in storage as a result of this slowdown, saw CN resorting to laying off several workers across Canada in all bargaining units and various job classifications, including Unifor Council 4000 members. In May, we posted and shared the current layoffs of Council 4000 members.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16may13027-unifor4000-cn-layoffs.html


June 2016
 
Unifor Council 4000 Regional Local Elections
Local Union elections commenced in the months of May and June as in accordance the Unifor Constitution and the Unifor National Council 4000 Bylaws for the positions of Local Union Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Secretary Treasurers, Local Trustees, National Council 4000 Trustees, Recording Secretaries, Local Chairpersons and various other Local Union Committee positions. The year 2016 marked the end of the current three year terms for these positions.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16jun06033-unifor4000-regional-local-elections.html

Support Pride Events
In the month of June, we recognize the various Pride Events that take place each year across the country in celebration for the LGBTQ community and their struggles for equality.
 
Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16jun06034-support-pride-events.html
 
VIA Rail negotiations
After several months of bargaining, and with the assistance of Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services (FMCS), Unifor's National Bargaining Committees for Collective Agreements 1 and 2 (Council 4000) and Agreement 3 (Local 100) heated up in the month of June. Below are the articles we posted and shared leading up to our ultimate settlement.
National Aboriginal Day
On June 21st, we recognized National Aboriginal Day, a day that every year recognizes and celebrates the cultures and contributions of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16jun21041-national-aboriginal-day.html

Unifor and Unifor National Council 4000 move to new offices in Edmonton
With the move of Unifor’s Edmonton Regional Office, the Area Office of Unifor Council 4000 and President Barry Kennedy also moved.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16jun22042-unifor-unifor4000-move-to-new-edmonton-offices.html

The importance of June 28 to the LGBTQ Community - Our thoughts are with the families of those injured and killed in Orlando, Florida
Today, Pride events (festivals, marches and parades) are celebrated by many walks of life, gay and straight, in communities all over the world. This shows the overwhelming acceptance of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. But Pride events, particularly the Pride march, started as public demonstrations in taking a stance against the discrimination and violence that was shown toward the LGBT community. The Pride march was intended as a promotion to LGBT self-affirmation, equality, dignity and acceptance, and to eliminate the social stigma surrounding the LGBT community more than 30 years ago. The start of the Gay Rights Movement began following the 'Stonewall Riots' in New York City in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, hence why June 28th is such an important day to this movement.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16jun27043-pride-june28.html


July 2016

Toronto Terminals Railway negotiations
The second half of 2016 began with Council 4000 back at the bargaining table with Toronto Terminals Railway (TTR). Just shortly after noon eastern time on July 8, we reached a new four-year tentative agreement for our Local 4003 membership at Toronto Terminals Railway (TTR). This agreement was reached on the last day of the conciliation process. We ratified the new agreement on July 15.
Unifor members at VIA Rail ratify new deal
Members of Unifor National Council 4000 and Local 100 voted in favour of a new four-year deal with VIA Rail Canada. The agreement, reached June 12, 2016, was overwhelmingly accepted by a margin of 80% nationwide.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16jul13049-unifor-via-members-ratify-new-deal.html
 
Unifor Local 4001/Council 4000 saddened by the passing of Mike Kroeker
On July 16, 2016, we announced the passing of  Brother Mike Kroeker who was 60-years of age and passed on July 13, 2016 from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or commonly referred to as 'Lou Gehrig's disease.' He served as the Local Chairperson for Local 4326 of the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway, Transport and General Workers Union (CBRT&GW), which today is Unifor Local 4001, representing CN Agreement 5.1 members in the Greater Vancouver Terminal. 

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16jul16051-mike-kroeker-passing.html
 
Drop the charges against MMA workers Tom Harding and Richard Labrie
We asked our membership and guests to unifor4000.com and our social media sites to take a moment and tell the Canadian Government that scapegoating railroad workers Is the Wrong Way to Get Safe Trains! Three years after the tragic rail disaster at Lac-Mégantic, Quebec that killed 47 people, investigations revealed this horrific incident could have been avoided by a simple 10-second safety procedure that Transport Canada did not require the cost-cutting Montreal Maine and Atlantic Railway (MMA) to use. Despite these facts, Brothers Harding and Labrie are still facing charges of 47 counts of criminal negligence causing death.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16jul20052-drop-the-charges-petition.html

Completion of Unifor National Council 4000 Regional Local Elections
Unifor Council 4000's five Regional Local Unions concluded their various Local elections in July 2016. Newly elected members will serve terms of three  years until the end of June 2019.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16jul23053-completion-regional-local-elections.html

Retirements of John Dowell and Tony Andrzejewski sees new leadership of Unifor Local 4001
As Unifor Local 4001 elections came to a close in July, we said goodbye to two long-time leaders of Unifor Local 4001 as President John Dowell and Secretary Treasurer Tony Andrzejewski both retired from CN and their roles with the Union at the end of July. While saying goodbye and paying our respects to Brothers Dowell and Andrzejewski, we welcomed Dave Judge as the new President of Local 4001, and Sandy Barwell as the Secretary Treasurer. 

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16jul23054-local4001-john-dowell-tony-andrzejewski.html


August 2016
 
Unifor ready for its second Convention in Ottawa, August 22 to 26
Canada's largest private sector union, Unifor, was ready for its second Constitutional Convention since forming on the Labour Day long weekend in 2013. The second convention was held in Ottawa from August 22 to 26, 2016, and featured guest speakers that included Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, and Canadian Labour Congress President Hassan Yussuff.  Unifor National Council 4000 and its five Regional Local Unions from across Canada sent various delegates to this important event.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16aug16055-unifor-2nd-convention.html

Unifor members at Rocky Mountain Catering Co. ratify new collective agreement​
​Despite ratifying a new collective agreement in March, Unifor ended up back at the bargaining table again with Rocky Mountain Catering Company Ltd. (RMCC) in August based on exceptional circumstances that Unifor agreed to, all while making it worthwhile for our RMCC membership in extending a new contract that was ultimately ratified by our membership. 
 
Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16aug29056-unifor4000-new-rmcc-deal-ratified.html

CN begins to recall some members in various parts of Canada
In August, CN began to start recalling some of our laid-off members at various locations across Canada who were laid off early in 2016. We shared with members the applicable rules for Unifor Council 4000 members under the relevant collective agreements, outlining members' rights and obligations upon being recalled.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16aug29057-unifor4000-cn-recall.html
  

September 2016
 
Labour Day
We acknowledged and celebrated Labour Day on September 3, 2016.
 
Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16sep03059-celebrate-labour-history-this-labour-day.html​
 
Many Canadians are not aware that the Canadian labour movement can justly claim the title as the originator of Labour Day.
 
Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16sep03058-labour-day-the-holiday-canada-gave-world.html​
 
National Trucking Week
As Unifor National Council 4000 represents more than 920 Owner-Operator truck drivers at CN Transportation Ltd. (CNTL), a subsidiary of Canadian National Railway Co., DHL Express Canada and Loomis Express, we highlighted National Trucking Week, which ran September 4-10, 2016. Our trucking membership are a very important part of our Union and the make-up of Unifor National Council 4000, which represents some 4,800 Unifor members all across Canada, largely in the Transportation sector.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16sep06060-national-trucking-week.html
 
Unifor Council 4000 meets with B.C. Container Trucking Commissioner
At the end of August, Unifor National Council 4000 met with the Office of the British Columbia Container Trucking Commissioner; Commissioner Duncan MacPhail and Deputy Commissioner Michael Crawford, to address and discuss matters relative to our 200 members of CNTL based in the Greater Vancouver area. 

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16sep07061-unifor4000-meets-bc-container-trucking-commissioner.html

Unifor Council 4000 CNTL Membership issues in Calgary
Our more than 170 CNTL members based in the Calgary, Alberta expressed various concerns and complaints over the arbitrary treatment by CNTL management and driver managers pertaining to their dispatch and treatment. Unifor National Council 4000 President Barry Kennedy received a letter from CN with regards to rumours circulating at the CN Calgary and Vancouver Intermodal Terminals of certain CNTL Owner-Operators possibly violating Sections 88.1 and 89 of the Canada Labour Code and Article 4.1 of the CNTL-Unifor Collective Agreement. As 30 members engaged in alleged strike activity, CN filed an application to the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) against Unifor for a 'Declaration of Illegal Strike' and an 'Order to Cease and Desist' pursuant to Sections 89 and 91 of the Canada Labour Code. We posted and shared various information to our CNTL membership in this regard. 

October 2016
 
Unifor addresses members concerns at CN AutoRamp and Intermodal at Montreal
The Union received numerous complaints from members about workplace issues at the CN AutoRamp and Intermodal Terminal at Taschereau Yard in Montreal, Quebec. As a result, Unifor Council 4000 Regional Representative Mario Laroche wrote the Federal Minister of Labour. This resulted in both the Union and CN agreeing to follow-up with our members concerns with the assistance of Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services (FMCS) to properly address and hopefully rectify their concerns. Meetings will continue into the New Year, 2017. 

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16oct02066-cn-autoramp-intermodal-montreal.html
 
Unifor VIA Rail Members: Are you interested in becoming a Women's Advocate?
We started the month of October, which incidentally is Women's History Month, soliciting interest from our female members at VIA Rail Canada to apply for the new Women's Advocate position that Unifor negotiated with VIA Rail during the last round of collective bargaining. Unifor has a strong history of supporting community and workplace efforts to end violence against women and believes in a world based on principles of equality and social justice, and that it's our collective responsibility to eradicate violence against women. The names of the successful candidates from all five regions (Mountain, Prairie, Great Lakes, St. Lawrence and Atlantic) will be announced early in the New Year.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16oct04067-unifor-womens-advocate-via.html
 
Celebrate Women's History Month
October is Women’s History Month in Canada. It is a time for Canadians to celebrate the achievements of women and girls as trailblazers throughout our history. It is a time to learn about the contributions women have made that have shaped our way of life. 

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16oct10068-womens-historty-month.html

Unifor Council 4000 meets with Toronto Terminals Railway to discuss October 27 job abolishments
Sadly, on September 26, 2016, TTR served notice to the Union pursuant to Article 8.1 (b) of the Employment Security and Income Maintenance Agreement (ESIMA) advising of the abolishment of 41 permanent Flagging positions effective October 27, 2016. This unfortunate news comes as a result of TTR losing the flagging contract with MetroLinx and GO Transit to A&B Rail Services. The 41 members who lost their jobs were members of Local 4003, a division of Council 4000.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16oct10069-ttr-article8.html


November 2016
 
Unifor National Council 4000 Convention
Unifor National Council 4000 held its 6th triennial convention in Winnipeg, Manitoba at the historic Fort Garry Hotel on November 25 and 26, 2016. The purpose for these conventions is to discuss the various issues facing the membership from coast-to-coast-to-coast, collective bargaining, and debating and voting on resolutions pertaining to amendments to the bylaws of Unifor National Council 4000. Below are all the stories that we posted on unifor4000.com and shared on our social media sites.

December 2016
 
Remembering December 6 and the École Polytechnique Massacre 
On December 6th of each year, Unifor Council 4000 remembers the horrific day of December 6, 1989 when 14 women who were violently murdered at the École Polytechnique in Montreal, Quebec.
 
Read more > - http://www.unifor4000.com/16jan11001-2015-year-in-review.html

Unifor and the Canadian Labour Congress lobby for Domestic Violence Leave
A resolution was passed at Unifor’s Canadian Council supporting lobby efforts for paid domestic violence leave in all jurisdictions. Manitoba was the first jurisdiction to pass this important legislative right. Unifor National Council 4000 supports these efforts and will actively participate in these lobby efforts.

Read more > http://www.unifor4000.com/16dec06073-call-for-domestic-violence-leave.html

Unifor, CN and Indspire collaborate to support Indigenous education​
Unifor and CN, in cooperation with registered charity Indspire, have established a scholarship and bursary program for Indigenous students, with the goal of advancing the academic outcomes of Indigenous post-secondary students across Canada. This initiative came as a result of collective bargaining between Unifor and CN in 2014/2015.

Read more >  http://www.unifor4000.com/16dec06074-unifor-cn-indspire-support-indigenous-ed.html


The above are just some of the activities, events and issues of Unifor National Council 4000 in the year 2016.

We expect 2017 to be just as busy.

​We wish all of our members and guests to this website best wishes, good health and prosperity for the year 2016! Happy New Year!

Keep visiting unifor4000.com and our social media sites - Facebook, Twitter and Google+ - for news and information.