(Montreal) Negotiations dragged on Monday between VIA Rail and 2,400 of its union members to avoid a strike that would shut down the carrier’s services across the country for an indefinite period.
Updated yesterday at 8:13 p.m.
In the evening, Unifor had agreed to postpone, for a fourth time, the deadline for triggering a potential walkout. The deadline was set for midnight.
“We would like to emphasize that we are committed to reaching an agreement and that we will remain at the bargaining table as the talks progress,” the union said in a statement, without offering further details.
A strike would further complicate travel for travelers as the activities of the country’s major airports, including Montreal-Trudeau, are disrupted by flight delays and cancellations.
Workers were first expected to strike at 12:01 a.m. Sunday night, but the ultimatum was postponed throughout the day as talks appeared to be progressing.
VIA Rail reiterated, by email, that it wants to reach a “fair and reasonable agreement” with its employees. Unifor, which is affiliated with the FTQ in Quebec, says the employer is asking for several concessions, including the withdrawal of an agreement that would result in the loss of job security for its members.
The 2,400 VIA Rail employees represented by Unifor are located in its stations, its maintenance centers (mechanics, electricians, refrigeration mechanics) as well as in customer service, in particular.
According to Unifor, the collective agreement expired on December 31. The union members had come out, almost unanimously, in favor of strike mandates. Voting ended on 1er last July after meetings held across Canada.