MONTREAL — VIA Rail Canada has received a 72-hour strike notice from the union representing 2,400 of its workers, creating the possibility the passenger operator will suspend all services as of 12:01 a.m. EDT on Monday, July 11.
The Unifor union represents VIA on-board, station, maintenance, administrative, and customer-center employees. Unifor said this week that more than 99% of its members had voted in favor of a strike [see “VIA Rail Canada workers vote to authorize strike,” Trains News Wire, July 6, 2022]. Both sides have said that negotiations continue.
“VIA Rail has made every effort to reach an agreement with Unifor,” VIA CEO Martin Landry said in a press release. “We continue to talk with the union and remain committed to negotiating a fair and reasonable contract.” Landry said the company realizes a strike “would be a major disruption for our passengers and for communities across the country. This potential work disruption comes at a time when we have resumed nearly all of our services. We deeply regret that it will negatively impact our efforts to support the recovery of Canada’s tourism industry and cut off the essential role we play in transporting Canadians, and connecting many remote communities including indigenous communities.”
Unifor, in a message to its members, said the strike notice “is a serious step, demonstrating the bargaining committee’s solid commitment to reaching a settlement on behalf of our members.” The message said strike preparations were continuing, and that it is “critically important” workers remain on the job until the strike deadline: “Any action anywhere across the country in advance of the deadline will undoubtedly lead to the collapse of negotiations.”
I agree. With al of their service disruptions, cutbacks, the pandemic, this strike should be another nail in the coffin. RIP
This should kill VIA, the Government has tried to kill it, now the negotiations should finish it. Shame Canadians, love big oil and their cars. Canada will stand by and let it go, I fear.