CP RAIL ELECTRICAL WORKERS RATIFY THREE-YEAR DEAL

Unionized employees at Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. who reached a tentative agreement before train crews launched a brief strike a month ago have ratified a new three-year agreement. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) says a tentative deal reached May 29 received the support of 78 per cent of its members. Union senior general chairman Steve Martin says the Calgary-based railway and workers now begin the hard work to implement new provisions of the agreement. CP Rail chief executive Keith Creel says the agreement ensures stability for the railway and provides certainty for its customers and the broader economy. The IBEW represents about 1,300 signal and communication employees across Canada, including some 360 with CP.