Just as we enter the summer travel season, Unifor members who work for VIA Rail are getting ready to take part in strike votes to support their union's demands.
The union said VIA Rail is threatening major concessions that place job security and working conditions in peril.
Between May 6 and 9, Unifor Council 4000 and Local 100 participated in conciliation talks with VIA, where they tabled a comprehensive monetary package. The railway hasn't responded.
While it did withdraw some minor items, Unifor claims VIA continued to demand "sweeping changes to work rules that would strip away protections, weaken scheduling rights, and undermine job security across the system."
"VIA Rail has a choice to make," said National President Lana Payne. "It can continue wasting time and damaging its credibility, or it can return to the table on May 26 prepared to bargain seriously and respectfully."
A 60-day conciliation period ends May 31, followed by a three-week cooling-off period. Union members will be in a legal strike position on June 22.
"Our members have worked through a pandemic, staffing shortages, and equipment challenges to deliver passengers across this country," Payne continued. "We won't stand by while this employer tries to erode hard-fought gains or while government decisions threaten the future of good public rail jobs."
Unifor plans to hold strike votes over the coming weeks.