MONTREAL— Unifor’s VIA Rail master bargaining committees are preparing to conduct strike votes after a disappointing week of negotiations failed to move the employer off major concessions that threaten job security and working conditions.
VIA Rail refuses to move on concessions; strike votes begin
Dear Members,
Council 4000 and Local 100 master bargaining committees met with VIA Rail from May 6 to 9 under the conciliation process. What unfolded at the table this week was a complete failure by the employer to bargain seriously or respectfully.
Unifor welcomes the Hudson Bay Company’s (HBC) decision to restore commission to workers following a grievance filed by the union claiming that the move violated legally binding collective agreements. Unifor also doubles down on its call for HBC to pay its legal severance obligations to workers.
“The message that HBC is sending to workers is that if they could get away with paying them less, they would,” says Unifor National President Lana Payne. “HBC is not above the law, and we will not let them get away with shortchanging workers.”
Unifor files for conciliation in VIA Rail negotiations
Unifor Council 4000 and Local 100 filed for conciliation on March 25, 2025, and the Labour Minister now has up to 15-days to appoint a federal conciliator to assist the parties with contract negotiations. This step comes after several rounds of bargaining where key proposals from the Union remain unresolved.”
TORONTO— Unifor demands that Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) put workers ahead of other creditors as it moves to liquidate assets and restructure under creditor protection.
Last week, the federal government announced a high-speed rail project in the Toronto–Quebec City corridor, marking a significant shift toward privatization in Canada’s passenger rail system. Instead of strengthening VIA Rail as a publicly accountable passenger rail service, the government has handed over control to private, for-profit interests.
CALGARY – Unifor Local 101R members have voted to ratify the tentative agreement reached with Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC).
“Our members worked so hard and stood together to reach this collective agreement in difficult and uncertain economic times,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Together, we achieved important gains in work ownership protections, improved working conditions and greater job security for our members.”
