Teamsters Canada Rail Conference

Negotiations have lasted only 6 days and the Teamsters Union will recommend ratification of the tentative agreement...

Ottawa, April 8, 2011 – A tentative agreement was reached yesterday between VIA Rail and its 300 locomotive engineers represented by the Teamsters.

A representative of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) was assigned to the case and helped the parties to find common ground. In fact, the agreement in principle was achieved without a strike or lockout and no strike vote was necessary.

"This collective agreement will be recommended to members by the negotiating committee", said Rex Beatty, President of Teamsters Canada Rail Conference representing locomotive engineers of Via Rail. "Negotiations lasted only 6 days, which is unprecedented and demonstrates the willingness of parties to make the necessary compromises to avoid a labour dispute."

The new bargaining contract, if ratified, will be effective until December 31, 2014 since the previous collective agreement expired last December 31.

"Out of respect for workers we will make public the details of the agreement once it has been ratified", said the union leader. "But I am hopeful that it will be accepted."

The Teamsters Union represents 125,000 members in Canada in all trades. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, with which Teamsters Canada is affiliated, has 1.4 million members in North America.