Strike averted: VIA Rail reaches tentative agreements

It may have happened at the speed of a VIA train, but VIA Rail Canada, following the extension of a strike deadline, has reached tentative agreements with Unifor's Council 4000 and Local 100, the union representing some 2,400 VIA Rail employees.

The tentative agreements are subject to a ratification vote by VIA Rail's Unifor members, according to a press release issued Tuesday (July 12).

Once ratified, the collective agreements will be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2022, and in effect through Dec. 31, 2024.

"VIA Rail is pleased to have negotiated these agreements and recognizes the hard work of both parties during this process," said Martin R. Landry, president and CEO. "We sympathize with the passengers and communities whose plans have been impacted in the past couple of days due to the uncertainty caused by this potential strike.”

“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."

Unifor represents employees working in VIA’s stations, on board its trains, in its maintenance centres, the customer centre and administrative offices.

VIA Rail said it “regrets any uncertainties” that the union’s strike notice, which was publicized last week, may have caused.

“We want to reassure our passengers that as we await ratification operations will run as scheduled,” the company said in a statement.

VIA Rail says it will continue to give customers the opportunity to make changes to their travel plans without service fees for any departures prior to July 31, 2022.

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