Unifor Members Back Strike as VIA Rail Talks Collapse

Unifor members at VIA Rail voted 97.5% in favor of a strike, showing strong support for action as negotiations with the company remain unresolved. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The federally mandated 60-day conciliation period ends May 31. A 21-day cooling-off phase follows, and a strike could begin legally on June 22 if no deal is made.

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Unifor Calls for Fair Deal as Tensions Escalate

Union officials criticized VIA Rail for refusing to engage seriously with monetary proposals and pushing major concessions. They stressed that delays and rollbacks are unacceptable.

“Our goal is a fair agreement, not a strike,” said Unifor Quebec Director Daniel Cloutier. “But VIA Rail must understand our members won’t accept stalling tactics any longer.”

Unifor represents over 2,500 workers at VIA Rail. This includes on-board personnel, maintenance teams, administrative staff, and customer service agents critical to daily operations.

Unifor Warns of Summer Travel Disruptions

VIA Rail has not publicly responded to the strike vote. Still, industry experts warn a labor stoppage could hit national rail travel hard during peak summer months.

As the cooling-off period nears, both parties face growing pressure to return to the table. Reaching a deal soon could prevent disruptions and restore stability to vital rail services.

Source: www.progressiverailroading.com

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