18 September 2006
Steelworkers Ratify Agreement with Canadian Pacific Railway Company
Members of the United Steelworkers' (USW)
Local 1976 have voted in favour of a new collective agreement with Canadian
Pacific Railway Company.
The vote was taken with a mail-in ballot sent to more than 1,200 members
across Canada following the tentative agreement reached 22 Jun 2006, in advance of
the current contract's expiry date. The new, three-year contract becomes
effective as of 1 Jan 2007 and runs until 31 Jan 2009.
The agreement provides wage increases of three percent in the first
year, four percent in the second and another three percent in year three.
Vacation pay, shift differentials and the workers' income security
agreement have all been improved, along with benefits such as life insurance,
dental and extended health and vision care. The union also won a continuation
of a gainsharing program.
A unique provision on work/life balance includes phased retirement, job
sharing, compassionate leave, paid sabbatical leave and flex time.
The USW represents 288,000 men and women working in every sector of
Canada's economy.
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