A tentative deal has been reached between VIA Rail and the union representing 2,400 of its workers.
Unifor said the deal came late Monday just hours before the workers were prepared to walk off the job.
The initial strike deadline was for 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday, but it was pushed back several times as negotiations continued.
“Fighting back against the concessions that VIA proposed wasn’t easy, but the resolve, commitment and solidarity of our VIA Rail members, helped the bargaining committees to push forward and achieve this tentative agreement,” lead negotiator Scott Doherty said in a news release.
Details of the new contract are not being released until the deal has been ratified by members. Once it has been approved, the three-year deal will be retroactive to January 1, 2022.
Martin Landry, president and CEO of VIA Rail, recognized the hard work of both sides during the negotiating process.
“As we look forward to ratification, these tentative agreements allow our teams to get back to doing what we do best: serving Canadians throughout the country,” Landry said in a news release.
Unifor represents maintenance workers, on-board service personnel, chefs, sales agents and customer service staff at VIA Rail.
