Unifor National Council 4000 represents nearly 3300 rail workers across Canada including workers at CNTL, Intermodal, and CN Savage Alberta Railway. Negotiations are underway to reach five new collective agreements.
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Unifor National Council 4000 CN & CNTL
Campaign Update
Bargaining Updates
5/14/2019 -
CN Members of Council 4000 ratify new agreements
More than 2,250 members who work at CN across Canada as members of National Council 4000 have voted to ratify new collective agreements.
They work under Collective Agreement 5.1 for clerical, shops and stores; 5.1 Supplemental for Intermodal and 5.4 for Excavator Operators.
The new agreements were reached on March 31, 2019 and include a $1000 signing bonus to active members , wage increases of 2.5 per cent retroactive to April 1, 2019; 2.5 per cent effective January 1, 2020; 3 per cent effective January 1, 2021, and 3 percent effective January 1, 2022. There are also several benefit improvements and increases to training allowances. The new contract expires December 31, 2022.
“I would like to congratulate the membership for their support during bargaining and at ratification,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “The work that is performed by our Council 4000 membership contributes to CN’s financial success as a company, and our members are entitled to a share of the Company’s record profits.”
“I wish to thank our members for their support throughout the bargaining process and at ratification,” said Dave Kissack, President of National Council 4000.
CN Transportation Ltd. (CNTL) Update
After ratification voting that was conducted across Canada, from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island, the majority of the CNTL membership did not ratify their tentative agreement. The Union will be reaching out to representatives of CNTL and CN Labour Relations before the end of the week to explore dates to continue talks and address the concerns of the members, as they conveyed problems during the ratification process.
Tentative Agreements Reached
3/31/2019 -
Four new tentative agreements have been reached with Unifor National Council 4000 and CN and CN Transportation Ltd in Montreal.
“Earlier this year we set a new wage pattern for the rail sector and we are pleased to be able to conclude these negotiations with agreements that make sure our hard working rail members earn their fair share in wages and benefits” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
Bargaining began on January 24, 2019 with four separate bargaining committees who worked together to reach the best deal possible for our members which has significant gains in work rules, wages and benefits.
“Our members continue to be the driving force behind CN’s continued success, and we are pleased to recommend these new agreements to our members,” said Dave Kissack, President of Unifor National Council 4000.
Details of the new agreements will not be made public until they are presented to members at a series of ratification meetings.
In Solidarity,
Your Bargaining Committee
Talks continue next week
3/18/2019 -
CN Rail 5.1 and Supplemental Agreements
Your Council 4000 bargaining team met with CN in Montreal February 4-8 and February 25- March 1 to bargain a new Collective Agreements. The current agreements expire on March 31, 2019. At this time, we have scheduled more dates to continue bargaining starting March 25, 2019 in Montreal.
We are committed to pursuing a contract that reflects the demands put forward by the membership. Our focus to date has been primarily on achieving improvements to working conditions and the work/rest rules of the Collective Agreements. Although we have had numerous discussions the company has not yet turned their mind to our primary issues, and we will require further discussions to resolve them before we can move forward and start talks on monetary and benefit enhancements where the members also expressed as desire for meaningful gains. However, we remain confident this can be achieved prior to the expiration of the Collective Agreements on April 1, 2019.
In the meantime, we would ask all members not to listen to the Employer or any rumors within the workplace and that if you have any questions or comments that you contact your Local Union Representative directly.
In Solidarity,
Your Bargaining Committee
Unifor National Council 4000 Bargaining Updates
3/13/2019 -
CN Transportation Ltd. (CNTL)
Unifor met with CNTL in Montreal February 25-28 and in Calgary March 5-8 to bargain a new collective agreement for the 1,000 dependent owner-operator truck drivers at CNTL across Canada who are members of Unifor Council 4000. The current agreement expires on March 31, 2019.
Bargaining is going well and to this point has focused on important work rules and working conditions. We have also spent considerable time discussing the Union’s proposals on improving the present ‘Progressive Disciplinary Measures’ under Article 8 of the collective agreement. The employer is receptive to our concerns. The present measures are too punitive and include a three-strike system that could trigger a member’s termination in quick fashion for otherwise minor infractions. We are working on implementing new provisions of a remedial nature and less punitive measures.
We have scheduled more dates to continue bargaining starting March 21st in Montreal when will focus on monetary issues. We will start by discussing CNTL truck specifications.
We ask that our CNTL membership not listen to any rumors within the workplace that are being circulated by members who are not Unifor Bargaining Committee Members. The bargaining committee will post updates when new information becomes available.
CNSAR
The Unifor–CN Savage Alberta Railway (CNSAR) Bargaining Committee is continuing negotiations with CN this week at Unifor’s Edmonton Regional Office from March 11-15, 2019. Bargaining has been productive. One item the committee has focused on is improving the working conditions on spareboards, ensuring rest days are not interrupted and that spareboards do not replace regular train assignments. We also want to have our collective agreement numbered like the others at CN.
Negotiations have also included discussions on the Ministerial Order issued on December 21, 2018 by Transport Minister Marc Garneau where he instructed railway companies to revise the Work/Rest Rules for Railway Operating Employees to ensure they reflect; “the latest science and fatigue management practices.” The railway companies, including CN, are to submit proposed revisions by May 19, 2019 for Transportation Minister Marc Garneau to approve by the end of June 2019. Given that our collective agreement was negotiated for members to work under scheduled work assignments that permit for a better work/lifestyle balance, we do not believe the Ministerial Order should affect our membership or collective agreement. We will provide further updates as the information is available.
Council 4000 will begin Negotiations with CNTL on Feb. 25, 2019
2/14/2019 -
Unifor will meet with representatives of CN Transportation Ltd. (CNTL) and CN Labour Relations on February 25, 2019 in Montreal to begin bargaining the renewal of our collective agreement that governs more than 1,000 dependent owner-operator truck drivers at CNTL. Bargaining will continue through to February 28th. Bargaining dates are also confirmed for March 5-8 in Calgary, Alberta.
Our CNTL membership move cargo for CN’s growing Intermodal business, including local pick-up and delivery, regional and long-haul delivery across Canada, and truck service at Canada’s ports in Vancouver, Montreal and Halifax.
Some of the bargaining priorities determined by our CNTL membership include significant improvements to zone and highway rates, improvements to disciplinary measures in the collective agreement, and insurance and benefits for CNTL owner-operators.
Negotiations resume February 25
2/8/2019 -
From February 5-8 your bargaining committee for 5.1 and Supplemental agreements met in Montreal to commence bargaining with CN Rail.
Many discussions took place on key issues throughout the week. The bargaining committee raised may significant issues that affect the members on a daily basis, and are working diligently towards achieving an agreement.
We will be meeting again on February 25-28, 2019.
The committee remains determined to bargain the best agreement possible and are working hard to secure gains for you.
In the meantime, we would ask all members not to listen to the employer or any rumors within the workplace and that if you have any questions or comments that you contact your local union representative directly.
In solidarity,
Your bargaining committee for council 4000
Bargaining Updates
1/24/2019 -
The bargaining committees met with representatives from CN and CN Transportation Ltd. in Montreal to formally open negotiations on the Council’s five collective agreements; CN Agreement 5.1, CN Agreement 5.1 Supplemental (Intermodal), CN Agreement 5.4, CN Savage Alberta Railway and the CNTL Collective Agreement. These agreements cover the 3,270 Unifor members of Council 4000 from across Canada.
“Our hard working rail workers have made CN the profitable company that it is today and we will be seeking their fair share in wages and benefits in these negotiations,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President.
Proposals were exchanged and more dates for negotiations are tentatively scheduled to start the week of February 4, 2019. All five collective agreements expire on March 31, 2019.
The four Unifor Bargaining Committees of the Council are united and determined to bargain the best agreements possible. We would like to assure our members that we will work diligently on your behalf to secure gains in your work rules, wages and benefits.
To this end, we do not bargain in public and we will use the RailLINE and the Council 4000 website (www.unifor4000.com) and this bargaining pages along our social media sites, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ to update you as often as possible.
“We are bargaining strategically together to address the needs of our members who are the driving force behind CN’s continued record setting profits.” said Dave Kissack, President of Unifor National Council 4000.