(Reuters) – Unifor said on Sunday its members at Canadian National Railway (TSX:) have ratified a new four-year collective agreement, averting a potential strike.
Unifor, which represents more than 3,000 members of the Railroad 4000 and Local 100 committees, said the agreement includes pay and benefits improvements as well as job protections for members working at CN stations and headquarters across Canada.
The railroad earlier this month reached a new tentative four-year collective agreement with the union.
“This agreement secures important gains that reflect the critical contributions of Unifor members to CN’s operations,” Lana Payne, Unifor national president, said in a statement.
CN did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.
The ratification comes after Unifor members last month allowed a strike to be held if the parties failed to reach an agreement by January 1.
The union began negotiations with CN Rail in September, with negotiating priorities that included increasing wages, addressing concerns about the retirement plan and job security for its members.
Canada, the second largest country in the world by area, relies heavily on trains to transport a wide range of goods and merchandise.
