Union urges rejection of CP Rail’s ‘final offer’

Voting extended until noon Friday

A contract vote for Canadian Pacific Rail workers will last a few days longer than first expected.

Workers will have until noon on Friday to vote on a so-called final offer from the company, called for by the federal government in order to avoid a midnight strike on April 21.

The Teamsters Rail Conference, which represents 3,000 CP conductors and engineers nationwide, including 300 in Medicine Hat, has strongly urged its members to reject the offer.

It says in a bulletin that the so-called final offer “underestimates workers’ anger with the company’s abusive labour relations policy and management practices.”

The union says fatigue issues, unresolved grievences and wages are major issues.

The company says an offer provides wage and benefit improvements “essentially asking for nothing in return beyond certainty and stability over the next three years,” according a company release.

The vote was originally to be concluded on May 23.

In early April, workers voted 94 per cent in favour of giving a strike mandate. Signal operators, represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, are also voting on a contract.

Commodity and business organziations say a strike at the Class 1 railroad would have tremendous negative effects on the economy.

The Teamsters said they could renew their strike notice if the offer is rejected unless they see progress in new talks.

A two-day strike in 2015 ended when both sides agreed to arbitration.

The federal government passed back-to-work legislation to end a nine-day work stoppage in 2012.