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4/19/2005Labor

Ontario Northland negotiates four labor agreements covering 281 workers

Today, the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC) announced it reached four separate agreements with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, United Transportation Union and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers affecting 281 locomotive engineers, conductors, and signals and track maintenance workers.

Each three-year contract provides annual wage increases of 3 percent, retroactive to Jan. 1, 2005, and improves benefits. ONTC’s previous contracts with the unions expired Dec. 31, 2004.

In February, the Canadian Auto Workers ratified five ONTC agreements affecting more than 350 crew management, clerical, rail and bus maintenance, and customer service workers in northeastern Ontario and northwestern Quebec. Company and union officials still are negotiating one other contract, which expired at 2004’s end.

ONTC operates the 700-mile Ontario Northland Railway; Northlander, Little Bear and Polar Bear Express passenger trains; and several motor coach scheduled and charter bus services. The company also provides telecommunication services.