News & Reviews News Wire CN reaches paid sick time agreements with four unions in U.S.

CN reaches paid sick time agreements with four unions in U.S.

By Bill Stephens | March 3, 2023

CN becomes the fifth railroad to reach paid sick time deals with some unions

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Train with red locomotive approaching curve
A Canadian National train approaches Barrington, Ill., on May 14, 2021. David Lassen

MONTREAL — Canadian National has reached agreements with four mechanical unions in the U.S. regarding paid sick time.

The agreements provide workers with four paid sick days plus three personal leave days to be used as sick days, CN said today.

The four unions are the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, National Conference of Firemen and Oilers, International Brotherhood of Boilermakers and Blacksmiths, and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers Mechanical Department.

CN has become the fifth railroad to reach paid sick time agreements with some of its unions. BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific have reached similar deals with some unions.

Paid sick time was a sticking point in the protracted labor negotiations last year that culminated in Congress imposing the recommendations of the Presidential Emergency Board. The PEB said sick time was a matter that should be negotiated between the railroads and the unions that represent workers.

3 thoughts on “CN reaches paid sick time agreements with four unions in U.S.

  1. 7 days total thats a joke……glad I never worked the railways what happens if you get real sick are there vacation days???? poor guys

  2. Note that none of the unions getting paid sick time are from operating crafts. Most have been shop crafts where much work has been outsourced. While it is great that a few employees get a few sick days, how come all employees don’t get 10 or more days per year?

    1. Here in Canada we got 3 paid sick days and 2 paid personal days. Of course you need to jump through a tone of hoops to get them paid, and then likely be denied. Looks good on the outside, but it’s cn. Unifor turned down their peanut size raise3%(inflation closer to 9%). Cn simply tries to look like Mr good boss. But like the rest of the class 1’s, the employees know different.

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