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Ratified Agreement Transportation
Steelworkers ratify ground-breaking agreement with CN
TORONTO - United Steelworkers' (USW) National Director Ken Neumann announced Wednesday that a tentative agreement reached in November with Canadian National Railway Company has been ratified by members of USW Local 2004.
"This four-year agreement exceeds the industry standard in many ways,
including providing the highest wage increases in the rail sector," said
Neumann. "For the first time, our union has negotiated a drug card so that
members are not out of pocket when they buy prescription drugs. There is a
41-per-cent increase in the weekend travel allowance, improvements in meal and
lodging allowances along with inflation protection for those allowances."
The agreement introduces post-retirement health care and there is a
$1,000 signing bonus and improvements in dental, short-term disability and
extended health care benefits.
The November settlement was reached well in advance of the previous
contract's expiry date of Dec. 31. Union members voted in a mail-in ballot
over several weeks and the response was strong, said Neumann, with more than
two thirds of the local membership of 3,200 returning ballots.
"In addition to the solidarity of members in Local 2004, this new
contract is also the result of improved relations between CN and the union,"
said Neumann. "We look forward to implementing the provisions of this
agreement, which undoubtedly will make CN a better place to work."
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