Finally, some good news for Canadian travellers.
VIA Rail Canada has reached tentative agreements with Unifor’s Council 4000 and Local 100, the union representing some 2,400 VIA Rail employees. The deal averts a Unifor strike, which would’ve stalled trains and unleashed more chaos for travellers in Canada.
These tentative agreements are subject to a ratification vote by VIA Rail’s Unifor members. Once ratified, the collective agreements will be retroactive to January 1, 2022, and in effect through December 31, 2024. Details of the agreements will only be released following ratification by members.
“VIA Rail is pleased to have negotiated these agreements and recognizes the hard work of both parties during this process,” said Martin R Landry, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We sympathize with the passengers and communities whose plans have been impacted in the past couple of days due to the uncertainty caused by this potential strike. As we look forward to ratification, these tentative agreements allow our teams to get back to doing what we do best: serving Canadians throughout the country.”
VIA Rail said it regrets any uncertainties that the strike notice issued by the union may have caused.
“We want to reassure our passengers that as we await ratification operations will run as scheduled,” officials said. “VIA Rail continues to offer customers the opportunity to make changes to their travel plans without service fees for any departures prior to July 31, 2022.”
From the beginning our bargaining committees felt the weight of their responsibility – to fight for the best deal for their members,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National Secretary-Treasurer. “They have done incredible work. They were tough and principled and they have proven that when we fight we can win for working people.”
“Fighting back against the concessions that VIA proposed wasn’t easy, but the resolve, commitment and solidarity of our VIA Rail members, helped the bargaining committees to push forward and achieve this tentative agreement,” said Scott Doherty, Lead Negotiator and Executive Assistant to the National President.
A strike deadline for July 11, 2022 was announced last Thursday. That deadline was extended twice yesterday before an agreement was announced.
