Three-year deal for 3,300 workers
TORONTO (REUTERS) — Canadian National Railway Co , the country's largest rail operator, said on Thursday it had agreed to a new labor contract for some 3,300 conductors, trainmen, yardmen and traffic coordinators represented by the Teamsters union.
The tentative three-year deal, the details of which were withheld pending ratification, comes after a week of talks with government-appointed mediators. It averts the possible disruption of a cross-country network that ships goods ranging from lumber to crude oil.
Talks had earlier stalled over such work rule issues as working longer hours and having less rest time between trips, the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference union had said.
Montreal-based CN, which reported market-beating quarterly profits last Tuesday, has said that none of its proposals would compromise worker health or safety.
The Teamsters' previous contract expired on July 22.
