VIA Rail says a strike deadline by its union has been extended to 8 p.m. Eastern Time today (Monday, July 11). VIA Rail officials put out a statement shortly after midnight to say the 12:01 a.m. strike deadline by Unifor had been extended to 4 p.m., which suggested progress was being made in negotiations. Late this afternoon, word came that the 4 p.m. deadline had been extended to 8 p.m. Eastern Time. VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) continues to negotiate with the union representing some 2,400 VIA Rail employees working in its stations, on board its trains, in its maintenance Read more
unions
Air travel has been something of a mess in Canada lately. Gas prices and a lack of rental cars have stymied some would-be travellers, as well. Now, there could be a VIA Rail strike. In a note posted on the Unifor workers web site, union officials with Council 4000 and Local 100 said they resumed negotiations with VIA Rail last week in Montreal. “Unfortunately, talks have not progressed in the way we had hoped. In consultation with the National Union, both Council 4000 and Local 100 issued strike notice to VIA Rail,” Unifor officials said. “It is required by law, Read more
The union representing Canadian border agents says the Trudeau government “has no plan” to restore normal travel in Canada. The Customs and Immigration (CIU) has issued a statement condemning Ottawa for taking only token, short-term action to solve gnarly lineups and other travel problems at Canada’s airports, including Toronto Pearson. “With no end in sight to delays affecting travelers at airports and border crossings across the country, it’s clear the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has no plan to to get travel back on track anytime soon,” the CIU statement says. “This is only made more evident by CBSA’s recently Read more
The head of the union for Canadian Customs workers says the Canadian government has steadily decreased the number of border employees over the years. They’re calling on the Trudeau government to increase workers at the border and ease logjams that are bedeviling passengers flying into Canadian airports. “As travelers arriving at Canada’s international airports continue to experience extensive delays, the National President of the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) is calling upon the Minister of Public Safety and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to increase the number of border services officers assigned to passenger operations in Canadian airports and Read more
Air Transat workers are calling for the Justin Trudeau government to ease travel restrictions. “The airline sector is without a doubt one of the most restricted by federal public health regulations. Our members and passengers must be vaccinated, PCR tests are required before boarding a flight and a test is required upon arrival in Canada,” said Dominic Levasseur, president of the Air Transat Flight Attendant Union. “These measures are extremely costly for travellers as well as for the government. If these measures are not eased out soon, hundreds of jobs are at risk in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. The government’s Read more
